My Child Hood Love
by brazil
Summary: Akaya (inukag's daughter) is finally able to go back through the well. romance, perverts, overprotective fathers,and an adventure beyond any of their imaginations. R&R.
1. Journey

A/N: Hey guys I'm back with my second story and I think this is one will be sure to please you. This is a story about Inuyasha and Kagome's daughter. She goes back through the well to see her old playmates and might even have a whole new love spark up. ^_~ There's gonna be a whole lot of laughs and fluff for all you fluff lovers out there along with a whole new adventure for the new and old gang. ^_^  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Inuyasha characters except Taiken and Akaya cause I made them up. Hehehehehehehe bwahahahahahah, lol I'm so silly.  
  
~*~  
  
Ch.1 Beginning A New Journey  
  
~*~  
  
"Alright! Saturday!" Akaya said and yawned loudly while stretching out in bed. Her ears twitched at the sound of her mother down stairs cooking something sizzling and her nose twitched even more than her fury black ears at the smell of what she could only recognize as sausages. (A/N: ummm. sausages *drools*) She scratched at her pitch-black hair and rubbed the night's sleep away from her dark blue eyes.  
  
"Oh shoot! It's Saturday!" she repeated as if realization struck her, which it did. "Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! YES! It's my birthday!" she cheered. She had sat up and had a huge smile that would have blinded someone. She remembered the promise her parents had told her when she was little.  
  
'I remember, they told me I could go back through the well. Back to feudal era Japan when I turn 16. They told me about their crazy adventures and how they had defeated their worst enemy, Naraku. They've told me the story a million times already. They also told me how they fell in love and how dad had almost lost his life in hell because of some Kikyou women wanting him to die with her. He told me that after he chose my mom to be with and refused to go with Kikyou, she had vowed to get revenge on him for betraying her, but they've never seen her since.'  
  
Akaya got up and went to the bathroom to brush her teeth.  
  
'Today is going to be a good day. I'll be able to see my old playmates again.' She thought and smiled at her reflection revealing a pair of sharp pearly white canines.  
  
She quickly ran into her closet and pulled on her shorts that came up to about mid-thigh. Then pulled out a red sleeveless shirt that was short enough to let some of her belly button show. She sat in front of her mirror and began brushing her waist long hair and while letting her thoughts wonder.  
  
'I'm finally gonna get to see Shippou, Taiken, Sango, Miroku and everyone else. It was so long ago. I can't believe it's been about eleven years now. I remember when I had left; Taiken was about 5 months older than I was. Shippou, in human years was about 6 years older than I was. Last time I saw them Shippou was a head taller than me too and so was Taiken. He always had some of the weirdest questions. Well at least I thought they were weird back then, now that I think about it his questions were pretty much perverted. I remember him constantly asking his dad about women which was weird for a five-year-old. Mom and dad always told me that he'd one day grow up to be a pervert just like his dad. Sango and Miroku were still young the last time I saw them, ha I bet their just as old as my parents.' She thought as she finished brushing her hair.  
  
Akaya got up and walked over to her bed to get her big yellow backpack her mom had let her borrow. Her mom told her that she used that same bag when she went into the well.  
  
Akaya was about to turn and walk out the door when she looked out the window. Her father was leaning against the goshinboku tree outside on the shrine grounds. She watched him sitting there looking as peaceful as every with his eyes closed as if deep in thought or meditation. She smiled lightly at her father when he opened his eyes and looked up at her leaning against the windowsill and looking back at him.  
  
'I admire my dad very much. Mom had told me about my father wanting to become full youkia when they first met. But everything had changed when they fell in love. Mom also told me that he used the jewel she protected to give him the ability to go from human to hanyou at will. He spent practically all of his time in his human form and aged along with it but he lived through youkia years. It's really rare that he goes back to being hanyou, he only does it on certain occasions and when my cousins, Sano and Yuki, come over cause they think of him as some awesome superhero. He is in a way a superhero, at least to me. It always fascinated me when he turned hanyou. His boyish features would return along with the silver hair, claws, ears and fangs. Mom is always telling me I get my temper and stubbornness from him along with my youkia features.  
  
Akai stuck her head out the window. "Morning dad!" she shouted.  
  
"Morning sweetheart!" he returned the greeting.  
  
Akaya stuck her head back in and went down stairs.  
  
"Ummm...Something smells good." She said when she walked into the kitchen.  
  
"Morning dear. I made your favorite, bacon, eggs, and sausages."(A/N: I couldn't think of anything else except for sausages cause I really like those.^_^) The now older Kagome said to her daughter. (A/N: she's not that old where she's got wrinkles, she just looks a little older.)  
  
"Thanks mom."  
  
"Morning baby." The human form of Inuyasha said kissing both girls on the cheek and sitting down for breakfast.  
  
Akaya rolled her eyes. "I'm not a baby dad. At least not anymore."  
  
"I know, but I might as well enjoy it while it lasts since you'll be leaving today." He said while stuffing a fork full of eggs in his mouth. Akaya just smiled at her father.  
  
"You know the only reason we couldn't go back through the well is because ji-san and your grandmother passed away leaving the responsibility of taking care of the shrine to us. The money your father makes running the shrine wasn't sufficient to support all of us and I had to get a job to help out. And living in the feudal era would be too dangerous and I wanted you to live a normal life. But now you're old enough to go out on your own and make some of your own decisions and we trust you." Her mother said while piling some more food on to her father's plate in which he had already devoured his first serving.  
  
Inuyasha who was sitting next to his daughter nudged her with his elbow and leaned in closer to her to whisper into her ear. Akaya responded and leaned in while her ears turned in his direction to catch what he was going to say. "You know, uncle Souta is gonna be in town with Sano, Yuki, and aunt Tetsami for a whole week from the U.S. He'll probably be bringing you something for your birthday. Are you sure you don't want to stay a little while longer until he gets here?" he said giving her his most convincing smile. Too bad it didn't work.  
  
Inuyasha felt a newspaper come down on his head. "Hey! What was that for?!"  
  
"Don't try to get her to change her mind! Let her make her own decisions and don't use Souta as a way to get her to stay! Humph, if you still had that rosary of yours I'd sit you about ten times right know!" she all but barked at him.  
  
"Okay, okay! Geez! Is it wrong for a father to want to keep his baby around a little longer?"  
  
Akaya laughed at her parent's silly antics. "Oh daddy you can be so restless." She said returning to her food.  
  
Kagome smiled at them and turned around to start washing the dishes. 'He is restless. Every day he seems to get even more restless. He misses his time, he misses the freedom he had to run around and the adventures we had, I can see it in his eyes. He loves being out side just as much as Akaya does. They still like to sleep outside on the shrine grounds during warm summer nights. Akaya has become just as restless as he has. She's been talking about this trip for years now. She was packed and ready to go a whole week before for goodness sakes. Well at least she'll be able to see her old playmates again. I know she misses them a lot. She was only a little older than five when we had to come back here permanently. I bet Shippou and Taiken definitely miss her. They were best friends. The weird thing was that after Akaya was born for some reason Shippou was able to go through the well. I offered him a place here so he could live with us, but he had refused and I still to this day wonder why he never stayed since he refused to tell me. I always thought of him as a son, I wonder what he looks like now.'  
  
"Hurry up and finish birthday girl, I got something to give you." Inuyasha said while handing his plate over to his mate and heading outside.  
  
"Really?! Okay!" Akaya got up and handed her plate to her mother and ran outside after her father.  
  
Inuyasha was sitting outside under the goshinboku tree. The tree in which she heard he had been trapped in for 50 years. She saw he was holding a sword that she immediately recognized as Tetsusaiga. (A/N: I hope I spelled that right.) She had seen the sword a few times before. Her father always liked to practice using his sword even if there wasn't anything for him to protect us from; she had always liked the way it went from a rusted out old sword to grand katakana, his fang. He had been training her for a few years now in swordsmenship, he wanted her to be able to protect herself in some way and insisted she learn. She went along with his persistence even though she could defend herself with just her youkia blood and she guessed that it went along for the better in the end. She sat down across from him and he leaned against the tree.  
  
"Do you remember all of your training?" he asked in a Sirius tone that he rarely used around her.  
  
"Yes daddy." She responded in what she hoped was a very respectful tone.  
  
"This is my sword that I used to protect your mom with when we traveled around as you already know. I'm passing it on to you so you can protect yourself with until you get back."  
  
Akaya had never imagined her father would ever let her hold onto his most prized possession and it was something she greatly admired. She looked down at the sheathed sword in awe, then her ears shot straight up and she lunged at her father giving him a tight embrace.  
  
"I'm very honored, thank you so much daddy. I promise I'll take good care of it." She said trying her best to hold in her tears of joy.  
  
Akaya pulled away and stuck Tetsusaiga through the belt loop hole in her shorts. She looked up at her father and smiled loving at him. "Lets get inside." He said while draping an arm over her shoulders and kissing her forehead.  
  
Akaya had walked into the house and her mom had called them to the living room. "I know we had your party last weekend but I wanted to save this for today." Kagome said while pulling the shikon jewel from around her neck and placed it around Akaya's neck. "It was supposed to get purified after the wish was made and disappear but it never happened. It's gotten smaller but that's it. Hopefully you'll have enough miko in you to be able to fully purify it because it obviously wasn't meant for me to do so. You are now it's new protector. It will bring you some trouble during your trip but I know you'll be able to handle it. I also have a feeling that this is the right time for you to be receiving it, like it's your destiny." She smiled at her daughter and could feel tears stinging her eyes at seeing her daughter all grown up and getting ready to leave. Inuyasha grabbed her hand in reassurance giving her a light squeeze.  
  
"Thank you, you guys probably think that this is going to be more like a trip to see my old friends but it's not. There's always been a part of me that feels empty and like I don't belong here and I'm not just going to see the others I'm going to see if I have any belonging there and if I can find what's to be filled in that empty space deep down." Akaya was trying really hard to hold back tears and was failing miserably. "I'm going to miss you guys." Kagome hugged her daughter and Inuyasha rubbed her back to calm her down.  
  
"We'll miss you too." Kagome said.  
  
"Come on, you should get going if you want to be on time." Inuyasha said while giving her one last hug before they all headed out the door.  
  
They walked out to the well house and Akaya said her good byes.  
  
"We love you Akaya." Kagome said and waved to her daughter.  
  
"Yeah, say hi to everyone for us will ya? And keep away from Taiken, lord knows how the boy acts around women now." Inuyasha said still feeling a little reluctant about letting her go.  
  
Akaya just laughed at her father sounding so protective of her. " Sure dad. Bye I'll miss you guys!" and she jumped down the well.  
  
"Are you more worried about Taiken going after her or the youkias?" Kagome asked teasingly.  
  
"Neither." He stated bluntly and thought about it for a minute. "She better not come back with a mate or pups or something 'cause she would be grounded for life." He said looking as Sirius as ever.  
  
Kagome just laughed. "You should have more trust in our daughter."  
  
"I do! It's those males out there that I don't trust!" he said clearly not knowing what was so funny about the whole situation. Kagome couldn't help but bust out laughing. "What's so funny?"  
  
"Inuyasha you've never been this protective of her before."  
  
"Well yeah! That's cause she's not here at arms reach if she gets into trouble." He said still not finding the humor in it all.  
  
"Yeah your right, I'm going to miss her but we shouldn't worry, she's old enough to take care of herself."  
  
"Feh!"  
  
"Look at it this way. It will be just me and you for a while." She said smiling broadly.  
  
"Are you being suggestive?" he asked.  
  
"Yep." She responded while leaning up for a kiss. He imiedatly picked her up bridal style and walked back inside the house.  
  
A moment later a shriek of laughter was herd from the old shrine house.  
  
"Inuyasha! You horny bastard!" 0.o  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
A/N: Hey how did you like the first chapter. Sorry if any one was offended by the horny bastard comment and just to warn you that there will be more contents related to the such (so don't read if you don't approve). But what can I say I thought it was funny as heck when I wrote it. Tones of fluff coming up and the old friends are reunited, and some possible sparks may fly. ^_^ Well tell me what you think about the story. I'll be having another chapter out real soon, maybe even tomorrow but it depends on the amount of reviews or on how I feel, and let me tell you reviews put me in good moods. ^_^ 


	2. Old Friends Reunited

A/N: HEY! I'm back with chapter two! Thanks for those who reviewed. (Even though it wasn't the amount I expected. -_-; ) But I don't give up that easily. I promise the story gets better and a whole lot more fluff to come. So hang in there, you'll get what you want. Now on with chapter two! ^_^*  
  
Disclaimer: Inuyasha and co. does not belong to me. Although I wish they did. *sigh* it hurts to be the viewer and not the creator.  
  
~*~  
  
Ch. 2 Old Friends Reunited  
  
~*~  
  
Akaya had jumped down the well and was and was surrounded by the familiar purplish blue light she remembered from when she was little.  
  
'Wow, I'm finally going back just like I always wanted. I'll finally find out where I belong. I can't wait to see everyone.' She thought while descending through the portal.  
  
She landed with a soft "thump!" sunlight hit her eyes the moment she looked up and she shielded her eyes with her hand. Her ears twitched in every direction taking in as much of the sounds around her as possible. With her stomach tied in knots and a heavy sigh to calm the fluttering she jumped out the well with same grace her father used.  
  
Akaya sniffed the air and caught the scent of her child hood village. She remembered her parents calling it Keade's village. It had belonged to the old miko before she passed way a year before she left for her time and left the village to Miroku and Sango's care. She remember very little of the miko but she knew she was a kind old lady who was beyond her years and wise.  
  
Akaya tightened her grip on her backpack straps and lept off at high speed covering a few yards every leap she took.  
  
A few moments later she arrived at the village. Having no memories on how to get to her destination or even where her destination was she brought up the courage to ask someone.  
  
She spotted a kind looking old women and decided to ask her for directions. "Excuse me ma'm, but could you tell me where I could find Miroku or Sango?"  
  
"Certainly dear, just keep going straight ahead until you reach the end of the village and that's where they'll be." The old women smiled at her. She looked at her strange clothing and then spotted her ears.  
  
Akaya didn't realize that the old woman was looking at her and turned to go to her pointed out direction. "Thank you ma'm." she said.  
  
"Young lady?" the old women called to her before she could run off. "Are you not the daughter of Inuyasha and Kagome?" she asked.  
  
"Yes actually I am. Did you know them?"  
  
"Hai, I did, they saved my son from a youkai once. They're very nice people. You look a lot like your mother and I see you have some of your father's 'accessories'." She said with a slight chuckle at the girl's blush.  
  
"Thank you." She said shyly and smiled lightly at the old women.  
  
"Well young miss, I must be leaving. It was nice meeting you though. Good- bye!"  
  
"Bye!" she responded and waved at the old women. She realized she never asked her name but the old women had already left so she just walked in the direction she had been pointed to.  
  
Akaya arrived at the hut. There was a man cutting wood that she instantly recognized as Miroku.  
  
Miroku looked up to see a young woman walking in his direction. She looked remarkably familiar but only one name came to mind.  
  
"Kagome?" he asked quizzically.  
  
"Guess again." She said smiling broadly.  
  
He looked her up and down and stopped at her ears.  
  
"A-Akaya?!!" is that you?" he asked.  
  
Akaya waved her hand dismissively. "Awe, that was a lucky guess." She said and smiled.  
  
Miroku embraced her and laughed lightly. "Look at you! You've grown into a young woman! It's nice to se you." He said and smiled. He lowered his voice to a whisper. "So, where's your boyfriend?" he asked. Akaya blushed and Miroku laughed at her.  
  
"There's no boyfriend, uncle Miroku!" she snapped at him. He just laughed.  
  
"I'm just playing, come on lets get inside, Sango's gonna want to see you." He said leading her to the hut.  
  
"Hey SANGOOOOO!!!! Guess who's here." He said when they stepped inside.  
  
"Who is it Miroku? I hope you di.." Sango stopped dead in her tracks at the sight of Akaya and gawked at her while dropping the rag she had been holding.  
  
"Ahhhh!!!! AKAYA! Is that you?!!" she literally screamed and ran over to the girl. She brushed Akaya's bangs out of her face and took a good look at her to make sure she was actually there.  
  
"Hey aunt Sango." she said trying to get out of her grasp.  
  
"Oh my gosh it is you! I'm so glad to see you!" she said embracing her tightly. "Oh, sit down! How have you been? How are your parents? Are they ever coming back? How long are you staying? How are yo.." Miroku cut her off.  
  
"Sango dear, take a breath. Don't drop one hundred questions on the poor girl's head."  
  
"Your right. I'm sorry. I'm just so excited your back!" She said hugging her again.  
  
Akaya laughed at her aunt's silliness. "Well. Um, I'm doing fine, so is dad and mom. But I don't think they'll be coming back. There're too many responsibilities keeping tem from coming back, but I'm positive they're dying to come back. And I'm not sure how long I'll be staying. This is more of a trip of self discovery and get to see you guys again."  
  
"Oh, speaking of guys. Miroku go get Taiken. He's gonna want to see Akaya."  
  
"Sure" he responded and stepped out.  
  
Sango turned to Akaya. "You know, Shippou's been at a lose at finding himself as well. He only hangs around here because he feels that he has to protect the village since your father left. The poor boy could be out on adventures and having fun if he wanted. Too bad he won't be here till after dark. He had to run an errand for me at a village not too far from here." She said smiling at her.  
  
"Cool." Akaya responded. "I missed you guys so much Sango." she said feeling a slight sting of tears. Her butterflies had left long ago and were now replaced with warmth and comfort.  
  
"Hey I'm back." Miroku said stepping inside. Behind him came Taiken. He looked almost exactly like his father. Wearing almost the same robs except his was a dark blue. He had his hair tied in the same way as his father and had the two earrings on his right ear. But he had his mother's eyes and charming smile which she he had shown off at the sight of Akaya.  
  
"Akaya! Wow you're back. It's nice to see you again. You look good." He complimented.  
  
She smiled and gave him a hug. "You look good too." She said shyly. Thinking things couldn't get any better, it skipped bad and went to worse when she felt a hand on her rear.  
  
"Pervert!!"  
  
SMACK!!  
  
"Taiken! Is that any way to greet an old friend?!! I thought you'd be able to restrain yourself." Sango chided her son.  
  
"You're the some old pervert you've been since you were five aren't you?" Akaya asked glaring at him.  
  
"Yep! And you've got the same spunk as always." He said and smiled at her.  
  
A flat out silence came over them before they broke out laughing.  
  
"Hey. I see Inuyasha passed his sward on to you." Miroku said still chuckling.  
  
"Yeah, but he's only letting me hold on to it until I get back though. And mom passed on the jewel as well." She said pulling out the jewel from her shirt.  
  
"Wow! That's the jewel you guys said brought you guys so much trouble?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
They sat down and talked till about dusk. They talked and laughed about everything that had happened between their period of separation and caught up like friends did.  
  
"I need to use the toilet." Akaya said with a slight blush. "Excuse me."  
  
"The what?" Miroku asked.  
  
"Oh yeah, I forgot, no toilets in this time. Never mind I just have to use the 'bush'. " She said and quickly stepped out.  
  
"Oh." Sango said and giggled slightly.  
  
"Want me to come for protection?" Taiken asked with his most innocent smile.  
  
"Yeah right Taiken! Like I need protection from a pervert!" She snapped at him and gave him a warning glare. He just shrugged and walked off.  
  
Akaya went a fair distance where Taiken couldn't find her but not too far to where she couldn't find her way back since it was getting really dark. She could make out a few things in the dark with her youkai vision and finally found a spot.  
  
After finishing her business she was getting ready to leave when she heard something in the bushes.  
  
"Who's there?!" she asked getting into a fighting stance. She received nothing but silence.  
  
The next thing she knew she had been tackled to the ground and had the air knocked out of her while being pinned to thee ground. The attacker growled at her and she squeezed her eyes shut.  
  
"Who are you trespasser?!!!" he growled.  
  
Akaya took in the unforgettable scent and opened her eyes.  
  
"Shippou?"  
  
~*~  
  
Bwahahahahahaha!!! A cliffy!! Want to know what happens next? Review and you'll find out even faster. ^_^ Like I said, it gets better later on and a whole lot of fluff to come, along with some sparks. Thanks to those who are reading but even bigger thanks to those who review. ^_~* 


	3. Feelings

A/N: thanks to those who reviewed and I truly appreciate it. ^_^ There's not much else to say except for "on to chapter 3!" ^_^ enjoy!  
  
DogDemon: thanks for your review. Just wanted to let you know I like your observation. ^_^ Your absolutely right there is a plot that I haven't stuck in there yet and I'm also sorry to say that it'll take a while before it gets put in there. I assure you that it's for a good reason but I can't say why cause then it'll just ruin the story.  
  
Disclaimer: Inuyasha and co. doesn't belong to me? Are you sure about that? *Readers nod their heads* whahahahahahah! *Runs away crying*  
  
...  
  
*Comes back* Oh well, I guess I can't do anything about it. *Shrugs*  
  
~*~  
  
Chapter 3 Feelings  
  
~*~  
  
"Who are you trespasser?!!!"  
  
She took in his unforgettable scent.  
  
"Shippou?"  
  
All she heard was a startled "huh?"  
  
Akaya felt him lean down feeling his warm breathe feather across her bare neck and could feel the very tip of his nose come in contact with her skin sending a shiver down her spine and heat spiraling up to her face. She herd him sniff a few times and his grip on her instantly loosened and he pulled away.  
  
"Akaya? Is that you?" he asked with surprise and what she could only describe as hope hitched in his voice.  
  
"Hey Shippou." she responded. She drew in a gasp when she felt strong arms encircle her.  
  
"I'm sorry I didn't know it was you. Damn, I could of hurt you, are you okay?"  
  
She brought herself out of her surprised state and answered him. "Um. It's all right. I'm fine." She said pulling out of his embrace.  
  
"You sure?"  
  
Akaya had to laugh at how worried he sounded over a little thing like that. "Don't worry I'll be fine. "They were quiet for a moment. "I really missed you Shippou." she said softly. She looked at him and could tell he was still a head taller than she was. He had a thin yet muscular figure. She also realized his hair had grown down to his waist which was tied up with his same old tie and his tail had grown longer too and wasn't all bushy looking.  
  
"I missed you too. It's so great to see you again!" he said with excitement in his voice.  
  
Shippou could see her clearly with his youkia vision and he doubted that she could see anything more than his outline with her vision but he could feel her gaze on him. He looked at her and had a hard time swallowing and had to open and close his eyes to make sure she was real. He couldn't help the heat that went up to his cheeks and the feel of his heart thundering in his chest. She had a red sleeveless shirt that had a low cut but not low enough to show much. She wore mid-thigh shorts that stopped right under her belly button. She had light soft skin and amazingly dark blue eyes.  
  
'Wow! She looks...beautiful. Looks a lot like her mother. Her eyes are full of life just like when we were little. The same cute ears too.'  
  
Akaya realized she had been gazing at him and turned away but realized he'd been doing the same, which didn't help her blush.  
  
Shippou realized he had been gawking and spoke up to cover his embarrassment. "So when did you get here?" he asked.  
  
"Uh... this morning."  
  
"Damn! I knew I should've made that trip for Sango last week!" He chided himself. Akaya started laughing at him.  
  
"Huh? What's so funny?" he asked crossing his arms over is chest in agitation.  
  
"Nothing, it's just great to hear my old playmate beat himself up again." She said with a hint of teasing in her voice.  
  
"Hey Akaya?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Tickle fight!!" Shippou shouted while knocking her to the ground and tickling her.  
  
A second later Akaya was underneath him in a fit of laughter and squirming to get free.  
  
"Say mercy!" he commanded laughing himself.  
  
"Never!" Akaya had flipped him over so she was on top and started tickling him.  
  
Shippou started turning red from laughing so hard. But he still had enough strength to flip them back over.  
  
"HA! I'm still stronger than you!" Shippou said proudly and got right back to the tickling.  
  
"Feh! What ever!" she responded and flipped over again when she heard something in the bushes.  
  
"Oh I know you guys aren't playing the tickle fight with out me!" Taiken had been looking for Akaya since she was taking so long when he stumbled upon the two playing their favorite childhood game.  
  
Shippou and Akaya looked over at him just in time to see him run over and jump right on top of them. Before they knew it Taiken had both of them down and tickling them both and laughing like a maniac. Then Shippou decided to get back at him for that and they all started trying to tickle each other at the same time. (A/N: which I must say isn't easy. I've tried tickling two people at once and it really is hard.) But soon everything stopped when Akaya felt a certain someone's hand on her rear.  
  
"AH!!! PERVERT!!"  
  
SMACK!  
  
"Taiken you idiot!" Akaya hissed at him.  
  
"Sorry! I swear my hand has a mind of it's own." He laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his head. He turned around to come within a mere half inch from Shippou's growling scowl.  
  
"Watch it Taiken!" he growled in a low warning tone of voice.  
  
"Come on guys, lets get back. " Akaya said with her back turned to the two and pulling twigs and leaves out of her hair.  
  
By the time they got back to the hut they were laughing again.  
  
Akaya had finally gotten a good look at Shippou in the light and had the same reaction he did except she felt like she had butterflies in her stomach and turned a fierce crimson. He wore the same fury vest except it looked like it had been adjusted so it would fit his size and he didn't wear the under shirt like he used to which left a fairly tanned muscular chest for the gawking. He had the same fire red hair she remembered. He also had the same pants, which was also adjusted to fit his size. His tail swished back and forth almost hypnotically. But what really caught her attention were his fiercely green eyes when he turned to look at her. The same child like eyes she remembered from before. She found herself not being able to look away. His eyes held hers on the spot and she felt herself becoming lost in his gaze. But there was something in them. Something she didn't recognize.  
  
"Hey what's going on you guys?" Miroku came in and saw that Akaya and Shippou were staring at each other.  
  
She snapped out of it and turned away to hide her blush when Miroku came in. Shippou blinked a few times and realized what happened and turned away himself.  
  
Taiken just laughed and walked off mumbling something about crazy lovebirds.  
  
"Hey Shippou, glad your back. Now we have to find a place for Akaya to sleep." Sango said when she came in.  
  
" She can share my room with me!" Taiken said with a suggestive smile while wiggling his eyebrows.  
  
"NO!" They all snapped at him.  
  
"She can take my room since I rarely sleep in it. I'll sleep outside." Shippou said heading out the door.  
  
"No, it's okay. I can sleep outside. I do it all the time with my dad, so I don't mind. Plus, I love sleeping under the stars and it's a clear sky tonight so there's no way I'm missing this."  
  
"Okay then." Sango said. "Night you two. Don't stay up too late." Miroku said and smiled knowingly at the two. Sango dragged Taiken to his room and Miroku off to theirs.  
  
A few minutes later Akaya and Shippou were sitting shoulder to shoulder against a tree and wrapped up in a blanket looking up at the stars.  
  
"Hey shippou?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"I'm gonna be heading out tomorrow. You want to come with me. I could use a companion. We could get Taiken to go too."  
  
Shippou blinked at the unexpected question. "You want me to go with you?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah silly. Three friends on an adventure. It'll be great." She said smiling at him.  
  
"Sure I guess. Sounds good to me." Before he knew it he had been tackled into a tight hug.  
  
"Yes! Thank you! For a second there I thought I'd be going by myself." She said happily.  
  
Shippou laughed and hugged her back. "What? You scared of being out there by yourself?" he said teasingly.  
  
"NO!" She snapped at him and pulled away and intending on glaring at him. That is until she realized she hadn't pulled away enough and was nose to nose with him. She could feel his breath on her cheek and looked up at his big green eyes that were just as startled as hers. She could barely think with her heart thundering in her ears. She felt the blush come up to her cheeks and instantly let go of him before it got any worse.  
  
Shippou wasn't sure what happened but his heart was racing. She sat down next to him and pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. "No I'm not scared." She said more softly. "I just don't want to travel by myself. It'd be boring." She said leaning against his shoulder.  
  
He blushed when she leaned against his shoulder but didn't bother moving. "Don't worry I'll be there for you. " he said. She just nodded her head.  
  
'What's going on with me?! It's like I lose all senses when I'm around her! Not to mention I've only been around her for no more than an hour! Why do I feel like this? She's just a friend...right?" he thought and let out a heavy sigh.  
  
Akaya lifted her head and looked up at him. "What's wrong?" she asked.  
  
"Huh? Oh, nothing."  
  
"No. Really, tell me what's up."  
  
"Nothing, I guess I'm just glad to have my old playmate back, Akaya." He smiled down at her.  
  
"Yeah, I am too." She said laying her head back down on his shoulder and snuggled a little closer to keep warm.  
  
'What's gotten into me?! I don't feel like myself! Actually I feel better than I have in years and...Fullfilled? Is this what was needed to fill that empty space in me? To be back here with my old friends and Shippou? I-Is being with Shippou making me feel this way? But how can I feel this strongly around him? He is a friend...right? She yawned and closed her eyes. "Whatever it is I like being this way...I feel...safe.' she finished those last thoughts before she fell into a deep slumber.  
  
He smiled when he realized she had fallen asleep. Her ears rising and falling along with her chest in perfect sync with her breathing. He pulled her closer to him to keep warm and pulled the blanket up to her chin. That's when he realized she had the shikon jewel around her neck. He guessed her mom had passed it on to her for her to protect.  
  
'That's sort of dangerous. The jewel would attract one youkia after another. But I guess it had to be passed on sooner or later. She better be glad I'm going with her. S he's going to need all the protection she can get.' He thought before he also dozed off.  
  
~*~  
  
I hope you like it so far. Took me a long time to write this one. If I don't update again by tomorrow night (Christmas eve) then I won't be updating until June 3rd or something cause I'm going up to north Carolina to the mountains on Christmas eve and I won't have any internet access there. But the good new is I'll be taking my notebook so I can write out the chapters instead. Note: I wrote chapters" with an "S." so ya know. ^_^ Well I hope you guys can review for this one. Thank you again to those whom reviewed and MERRY CHRISTMAS and A HAPPY NEW YEAR! Hehehehehe. ^_^ 


	4. A Race, A Fall, andA Kiss?

A/N: Sorry guys, I got back from vacay feeling like I could write like the wind but when I got back my comp went into total melt down and it totally deflated my inspiration to write. But I got it workin again and got some inspiration back to sit my lazy ass down and start typing. Well for those who are reading my other story, I know your anxiuos for the next chapter but bare with me. I'm in the middle of a crater sized author's jam. Anyways thanks to those who are reading and reviewing my story and I sirously do appreciate your support, each review I read gives some inspiration and I thank you. ^_^ Now on with the chapter. ^_^  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. he belongs to R.T. and there's nothing anyone can do about that.  
  
~*~  
  
Ch. 4 A Race, A Fall, and.....A Kiss?  
  
~*~  
  
The next morning Akaya woke up to a weird sound, but she couldn't quite put her finger on what it was. She tried to clear the sleepy daze the clouded her head and tried to blink out the morning blur out of her eyes. She scanned the area in front of her and came across three figures standing a few feet away from her. She blinked a few more times and saw that it was Miroku, Sango, and Taiken standing there trying their hardest to hold in laughter.  
  
Thoroughly confused she went to get up but to her surprise was pulled back by an arm wrapped around her waist until her back rested against a soft chest while she had let out an undignified squeak. Then it hit her why they were laughing and who's shoulder she had fallen asleep on the night before. She turned slightly to look behind herself and even though she already knew who it was she prayed that it wasn't him. Unfortunetly she came nose to nose with that person and she turned a color that could put cherries to shame.  
  
"Awe! Isn't that cut?! Look at the little love birdies!" Taiken teased.  
  
"Shut up Taiken!" Akaya hissed.  
  
Her temper was rising and she turned towards Shippou. Grinding her teeth to try and hold in her tantrum she elbowed his side to get him up. "Shippou- kun, please get up!" she hissed nudging his side again. She let out anothr squeak when all he did was groan and tighten his grip around her waiste. She growled in frustration and looked up at the others who wer still laughing. "Come on you guys! This isn't funny!" she snapped.  
  
Taiken was about to say something when Sango striked him upside the head before he could utter a word. "Okay Akaya, we'll leave you to try to wake him up. Just hurry up if you whant to cover some ground before lunch." She said and turned, walking away while dragging the other two with her. But she couuld still hear a few chuckles and giggles coming from the three.  
  
She let out a sigh of releif and turned her attention towards shippou.  
  
"What to do? What to do?" she chanted. Her ears went flat against her head in concentration to first try to get out of his death grip then wake him up. But she never realized it when he cracked open an eye that scanned over her in admiration. She also didn't notice it when he leaned forwards and kissed her on the cheek.  
  
"Morning 'Kaya." He yawned and stretched out.  
  
Akaya quickly snapped out of her shocked state. "Uh.....morning." she said blushing. 'He always did that when we were little, but I never blushed like this. What's up with that? He always use to be the first one up too. Wait, was he even asleep that whole time?' "HEY! You sleep like a rock you know that? Didn't you hear me calling you?" she gave him a look that said you-better-not-lie-to-me-or-I'll-kill-you.  
  
He laughed nervously and rub the back of his head. "Of corse not, if I did I would of ben up a long time ago." He lied. He had been up since dawn just sitting there watching her the whole time. He liked having her in his arms and didn't feel like moving from his spot until she did so he pretended to be asleep when the others showed up. He had no idea why he felt like that but he had his suspicions. He felt bad about lieing to her but if she found out that he was actually awake that whole time, well he didn't whant to find out if she still had that temper of hers.  
  
"Feh, whatever.'' She wasn't sure if she believed him.  
  
Shippou couldn't help but laugh at her making a very Inuyasha comment.  
  
"What's so funny!?" she snapped.  
  
"Nothing, you just sounded a lot like your father." He was trying to hold in his chuckles so she wouldn't get any angrier than she already was.  
  
She glared at him and crossed her arms. "Humph! I do not sound like daddy!"  
  
Shippou burst out laughing. "Daddy?! You still call him daddy?!" he said laughing his head off.  
  
"GRRRRR!!" Akaya growled and got up to stomp towards the hut.  
  
"Hey, don't start over reacting. I was only playing around." He said jumping to his feet to catch up to her. he looked at her and couldn't help but chuckle at the scawl on her face. "You always did have his temper." He commented knowing that it would tick her off.  
  
Akaya stopped in her tracks and glared at his back as he walked ahead of her. She could practiclly see the smug on his face. His tail swished back and forth in that playful manner that only told her that he was teasing her. She quickly grabbed his tail before it got out of her reach and tugged hard enough to pull him back a few feet behind her.  
  
"OW! Hey! That hurt you know!?" he barked at her as he rubbed his tail.  
  
"Watch what you say next time fox!" she warned and walked ahead of him. It wasn't that she didn't like being compared to her father, because she really didn't mind, it was because she didn't like being told that she still had a temper or that she still called her father daddy like she was some little girl. She couldn't help it though, in her opinion she didn't have a temper and she had called her father daddy since she was little and had never changed it to father or dad.  
  
He let out a sigh and shook his head as he watched her saunter off ahead of him. 'Yep, that's good old Akaya for you.' He thought.  
  
They walked into the hut and sat down at the table to have breakfast with the others.  
  
"Morning everyone!" she said happily and some how out of her tempermental mood.  
  
Shippou was sitting in between Akaya and Taiken, which he did for a reason, while Sango and Miroku sat across from them. (A/N: I forgot to tell you that it's not an actual table. It doesn't have any chairs and they sit on mats, you know? And the table is low to the ground.)  
  
Taiken took a suspicious side glance at the pair while sipping his tea. 'There too quiet. Something must of happened. I bet they did it last night. The fox got to her before I did? Way to go Shippou! But that's not like shippou to go and do something like that. He's too shy. He must of really liked her. that's kind of weird though. Aren't they like brother and sister or something. Even if their not really related or any thing....still...' He leaned towards Shippou a bit and nudged his side with his elbow. Shippou gave him an annoyed glance. It seemed like everyone was nudging him this morning. Taiken saw that he had his attention and spoke just loud enough for Shippou to hear. "I bet you did her last night didn't you?"  
  
Shippou nearly spit out his food. "What?! No way!!" he hissed trying to keep his voice down.  
  
"You sly fox I knew you had it in you. And I can't believe you got some before I did." Taiken whispered back slapping him on the shoulder like a proud parent would a child.  
  
"We didn't do anything!" he hissed.  
  
Akaya who had over herd everything and blushing at the suggestion was getting pretty annoyed. Mainly because they hadn't taken into consideration that she was right there or the fact that she also had youkai hearing and had heard every word so far, which was beginning to tick her off. "You know I can hear everything you guys are saying right?"  
  
Shippou blushed even harder and turned to her. "Then tell him nothing happened!" he snapped breaking out of his whispering state.  
  
"What didn't happen?" Miroku asked before taking a bite of his food. He had herd the two whispering but couldn't make out any words. But knowing his son's mind, he had an inkling that it had something to do with Akaya and Shippou's situation this morning.  
  
"Nothing!" Akaya responded quickly.  
  
"What?" Sango asked trying to get into the conversation.  
  
"Exactly!" shippou said.  
  
"Huh?" Taiken said clearly confused.  
  
By now Akaya's ears were twitching in agitation. "Just drop the subject! Nothing happened, are you happy now Taiken?!"  
  
Shippou sighed in relief and Taiken just shrugged the whole thing off. Miroku and Sango glanced at each other then smiled knowingly and went back to eating their food.  
  
"Hey taiken?" Akaya asked a few minutes later.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Want to come go with me and Shippou? We could use another companion out there."  
  
"Come on Akaya, don't kid yourself, you know you like me a lot more than just a companion."  
  
Akaya sweat dropped. "Taiken! I swear I'm gonna kill you if you do....!"  
  
"I can't go because I'm training to take over my dad's spot as the local priest and shrine keeper once I'm old enough." He said cutting her off from her threat.  
  
"And don't forget the village women." Shippou added.  
  
"Oh yeah, that's a plus too."  
  
Akaya's eye brow twitched. "You can't go because of village girls? Your such a perv you know that?"  
  
Taiken just grinned.  
  
"Too bad you'll be missing out on all the fun." Shippou added.  
  
"I think you two will have a whole lot more fun with out me. you've got a lot to 'catch up'on so I don't really mind. Just make sure you don't do too much 'catching up' or I'll be left behind when you get back." He said with nothing less than a perverted smile.  
  
Both Akaya and Shippou glared daggers at him but didn't say anything.  
  
Akaya stood up and gatherd her things. "I'm done so I'll be waiting outside. You need to hurry up if were gonna make tracks Shippou." she said as she walked out the door.  
  
"Okay." He said finishing the last of his meal and went outside.  
  
"Ready?" she asked when she herd him come outside followed by the others.  
  
"Yep." He answered.  
  
She was about to pull her huge yellow back pack over her shoulder when Shippou took it from her and swung it over his shoulder. "I'll carry it for you." He said and smiled at her.  
  
"Um, thanks." She said ducking her head to hide her blush and felt her stomach tie in knots again.  
  
Akaya pushed down the feeling and walked over to Sango, Miroku, and Taiken to give them good-bye hugs.  
  
Yet again Taiken had to ruin the moment.  
  
"PERVERT!"  
  
SMACK!  
  
Shippou, with out thinking had reached out and grabbed Akaya, pulling her up against his chest and bonked Taiken over the head. "Idiot! Don't touch her!" he growled baring his teeth at him.  
  
"OW! Hey!" Taiken complained.  
  
"Doesn't this seem familiar to you Sango? " Miroku asked with pure amusement in his voice. Sango giggled and put a hand over her mouth to hold it back. "Sure does. Reminds me of a certain hanyou and miko."  
  
Shippou instantly let go of Akaya and turned away to hide a blush. Í can't believe I just did that! I hate it when I start blushing like this, it's so pathetic. I'll have to control my instincts next time. Or I'll just kill Taiken.' He mentally kicked himself around.  
  
Akaya was in no better a position than Shippou. 'There talking about my parents aren't they? I don't believe this! Next time I won't give Taiken a good-bye hug. Or maybe I'll just kill him.' She thought while her blush turned into a scawl.  
  
"Protective are we? And I thought you said there was nothing between you two." Taiken teased. He obviously hadn't learned his first lesson but he loved putting his friends through embarressment.  
  
"That's because there's nothing between us. Anyways, we need to get going. Bye guys it was great seeing you again!" she said dismissing the subject and waving good bye while she grabbed Shippou's wrist and pulled him along.  
  
"Bye Akaya, have fun!" Sango shouted at there retreating forms.  
  
"Yeah, don't do anything I wouldn't do!" Taiken shouted.  
  
Akaya and Shippou turned around to glare at him again but laughed when they saw Sango hit him over the head and drag him inside the house.  
  
"Make sure you take care of her Shippou. Inuyasha would break your neck if she got hurt!" Miroku shouted.  
  
"Inuyasha has nothing to worry about!" he shouted back as they disappeared down the main road out the village.  
  
Sango came back outside after putting Taiken to do the dishes. "I think those two might come back a little more than just friends." She said leaning her head on Miroku's shoulder.  
  
"Nah, if those two are anything like Inuyasha and Kagome, they'll take a while." he said putting his arm around her waist.  
  
"I'll bet you a weeks worth of laundry that they'll come back as a couple." She challenged.  
  
Miroku smiled at her. "Your on."  
  
Sango smiled back at him, that is until she felt something on her rear.  
  
"Miroku!" she chided and swatted his hand away.  
  
"What!" he asked innocently.  
  
She glared at him and sauntered of towards the hut.  
  
"You know you like it!" he shouted after her.  
  
"SHUT UP!" Sango yelled from inside and threw a wooden spoon at his head. (A/N: Good old Mroku. ^_^; )  
  
~*~  
  
Shippou turned back around after he couldn't see Miroku any more and came to face a glaring Akaya.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Feh, I don't need protection. I can handle anything that comes my way." She said crossing her arms and resting them on her stomach while sticking her chin in the air proudly. The last thing she whanted was being considered a weak little girl who couldn't take care of herself.  
  
"I'd reconsider that if I were you. That thing around your neck is gonna bring us more trouble than we can handle." He said jerking his head in her direction.  
  
She realized he meant the Shikon jewel and looked up at him. He was looking straight ahead and saw that his eyes were filled with so much emotion and distant as if lost in thought. But mostly he looked confused and she had to fight the urge to reach up and smooth his uneasiness away but clasped a hand over the jewel instead. She let her thoughts wander as well.  
  
'This is going to be really hard since it's just the two of us out here. Who knows what kind of youkai would be after us once they sense the jewel. There's also the fact that if word got out that the daughter of the great Inuyasha had just appeared out of no where there'd be so many enemies out for revenge and she doesn't even have any fighting expierance against youkai. I bet Inuyasha doesn't even know how big his reputation has become after he left. Mainly because he had defeated Naraku. But no matter what I'm going to protect her the best I can. I'm no Inuyasha but I have my ways.' He looked down at her.'She looks beautiful. I wonder if she's got anyone back in her time. I hope not. I don't think I could bare to see her with someone else.' He almost stopped in his tracks after that last thought.'Woah! were did that come from? I can't like her that much already.....can I?' He searhed his thoughts for a minute. His shoulder bumped into hers and he blushed. The answer came to him and he had to fight the urge to claw himself or smack his forehead. 'Oh man I do like her that much. And I think I might.....' he gulped 'love her???' He looked at her again and his throat went dry. 'The 'like' thing would explain why I felt like my stomach was tied in knots every time we touched or when I kissed her this morning. But love? I don't even think she sees me that way. She probably only sees me as a big brother or something. This is just too much.'  
  
~*~  
  
'He's right. Through what I've been told about the jewel it'self caused both humans and youkai to lose their lives. But I'll get through this and protect the jewel like I'm suppose to. Plus, It's not like the jewel is broken into so many pieces were we'd have to looking for trouble. I chose to come here anyways so what ever trouble comes our way I can handle it. No problem. Like I said before I'm only here to discover a place for myself because home definetly isn't it.' Her shoulder bumped into his and for once she picked up on something she'd been missing since their encounter. 'His heart beat is racing. He can't be tired after that short distance can he? (A/N: Oh, poor Akaya. She's gonna need a bigger clue I guess. -_-; ) She looked looked up at him and saw that he had a tinge of pink to his cheeks. 'Maybe he's sick.' ( A/N: Okay! She's gonna need a way bigger clue than that. Forgive her, love will just do that to a girl sometimes. ^_^) 'He kissed me this morning like he always did when we were little but some how it felt different. It felt like it had more meaning. I can't even stop thinking about it....... UHH! Get over it girl! It was only on the cheek!' She told herself. 'And for goodness sakes why the hell I'm I blushing?!! I've been blushing since yesturday and it's been because of him. Dang it! He's my friend, my playmate, I can't be falling for him already! Wait why I'm I saying this like I expected myself to fall for him?' She looked at him again. 'He probably only sees me as a little sister. This is so confusing!' She sighed inwordly.  
  
They reached the end of the village and Akaya's spirits were lifted when she remembered that there was something she had been whanting to do since she got there.  
  
"I'll race you!" she said happily.  
  
"Is that a challenge?" he asked with a smug grin.  
  
"Yep!"  
  
"You sure you whant to go through with this? You know I always beat you when we were little."  
  
"Wanna bet?" She said crouching down to get momentum for when they started.  
  
"Your on. Looser sets up camp and makes lunch and dinner tonight." Shippou said getting down into a crouch also.  
  
"There's no way your going to beat me. I'm the captain of the track team and I've won every race I was in." she said in a matter-of-fact tone of voice.  
  
"Well whatever a 'track team' is I bet you did it with humans and don't forget your up against a full fledged youkai." He retorted.  
  
"Feh." She responded but inside she was thinking 'oh yeah, I forgot.'  
  
"Ready!" akaya started.  
  
"Set!" She continued and glanced over at him while instantly getting an idea. She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek leaving him compltely dumbfounded.  
  
"GO!"  
  
she dashed off in a red,black, and blue blur leaving a dazed Shippou in her wake.  
  
He quickly regained his scattered thoughts and dashed off after her.  
  
Akaya looked back to see him already catching up to her and couldn't help but laugh at him glaring at her. it wasn't an I'm-mad-at-you glare, but an amused glare.  
  
"Hey! You got a head start!" he said as he came up to her.  
  
Akaya just laughed and stuck her tungue out at him. Then a thought struck her. "Hey Shippou? where are we supposed to go from here?"  
  
Shippou thought about it for a moment and smiled when he came up with an answer. "I guess we'll go where ever our senses take us. But for now follow me." Shippou had thought of a great idea to get back at her for taking a head start. Not that he minded the way she got a head start it's just that she got one that made him think of a plan to cool her adrenalin down.  
  
He had been through these parts of the land before and they would be coming up to some woods up ahead and towards the end of it there was a lake. Since it was a really hot day they might as well take advantage of it.  
  
"Let's see if you can keep up with me." he said as he sped up and entered the woods.  
  
Akaya just "Fehed" and followed along.  
  
They dodged tree branches, up lifteed roots, boulders, and jumped over bushes at high speeds that they would either not be seen or be a blur of different colors.  
  
Akaya was begining to get tired after a while and was struggling to keep up.  
  
Shippou smiled at her heavy breathing. He turned around so he was running backwards and grinned sheepishly at her. "Tired?" he asked.  
  
"No!" she snapped. "You shouldn't be talking! I can hear your breathing from hear and your situation is no different from mine."  
  
She was right, he was starting to breathe hard but he could last longer than her any day. His smile broaden when he smelled water up ahead. He quickly turned back around and sped up until he was out of sight.  
  
Akaya was to busy growling at him for holding back on her the whole time to notice the smell of water up ahead. 'He's been holding back this whole time!? I'll kill him!'  
  
Shippou reached the cliff where the lake was about thirty feet below. It was vey beautiful and it was probably the first time he'd every seen it this beautiful. It wasn't too big or too small and had sparkling dark blue water and a sakura tree that leaned over the lake while sakura peddles floatd across the surface of the water being carried away by the slight summer breeze.  
  
Sensing her coming he quickly jumped behing a bush to catch his breathe and put down the hude back pack that had been slowing him down some.  
  
Akaya followed his scent to the edge of the cliff and bent over to catch her breathe. She quickly realized the scene before her and marveled at it's beauty. "Wow!" she mumbled underneathe her breathe. Shippou couldn't help but grin at the predictable reaction that came from her. Akaya remembered the reason why she was there and turned around to look for Shippou.  
  
"Shippou-kun?"  
  
"Shippou, I know your out there I can smell you." She chided to see if he would come out.  
  
Before she knew it Shippou had launched out of the bush and tackled her sending them both over the cliff head first.  
  
"Shippou! what are you......ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!"  
  
The only thing poor Akaya could do was latch onto him and scream bloody hell before they hit the water with a huge "SPLASH!"  
  
Akaya surfaced gasping for air, sputtering water and brushing her bangs out of her eyes. she swam towards the bank where the sakura tree was. She leaned against the bank to try and catch her breathe again while looking around for Shippou. A few moments passed and he still hadn't surfaced and she began to panick.  
  
"Shippou?!"  
  
"Shippou-kun, where are you?! This isn't funny!!" she shouted as she sank into the chest high water preparing to swim out to go look for him when bubbles appeared about a foot away from where she was standing.  
  
Blub-Blub-Blub  
  
She leaned in closer to try and see past the ripples in the water at what was making the bubbles.  
  
"Shippou?"  
  
Shippou popped out of the water a mere inche from her face scaring the daylights out of her.  
  
"Ahhhh!!!" Akaya screamed and leaned against the bank with one hand over her chest as if to stop her racing heart.  
  
Shippou was doubled over with laughter and gasping for air.  
  
Akaya narrowed her eyes at him.  
  
"What's so funny you idiot?!!! That was a dirty joke!! You nearly got us killed with your stupid stunt!" she glared at him with a thoroughly angered expression. "And why didn't you come up after all that time?! Do you know how worried I was?!!"  
  
Her anger turned into frustration and her frustration turned into tears. 'He doesn't even know how worried he made me, that jerk! Why do I even care anyways? He still acts like a little kid sometimes.' She thought as more tears came down her cheek.  
  
Shippou imiedately stopped laughing when he smelled her tears. 'Why is she crying? I couldn't of scared her that much could I? Wait...she said she was worried about me. does that mean she cares? Damn! I can't believe I made her cry. She probably won't even talk to me for the rest of the trip. Way to go Shippou! Now I know how Inuyasha felt.' He thought as his shoulders slumped forwards.  
  
He grabbed a sakura flower that floated by in the water. He looked at it for a moment then up at Akaya's back. He walked up behind her and cringed at seeing her flinch when he came near. He tucked the flower in her hair and took a step back. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you worry....or cry." He said lowering his head down in shame.  
  
Akaya turned around and he lifted his head and there eyes locked. She saw the sincerity in his eyes and her stomach felt like it had been dropped off a two-hundred story building and her heart fluttered uncontrolably. 'Why do I feel like this?' She thought, feeling her emotions mix up and not knowing what she was feeling while a few more tears left her eyes.  
  
Shippou was in the same situation as Akaya and was lost towards his emotion. 'Why does she make me feel this way?' He thought as he lifted his hand to her cheek to brush away her last tears. Their eyes never strayed away and first, he saw that she had already forgiven him but it was followed by confusion.  
  
Akaya shivered at his soft touch. 'Why I'm I reacting this way? This isn't me at all.' She kept looking into his green eyes and saw as much confusion as she was feeling.  
  
Shippou caressed her cheek and a major need to smooth her confusion out came over him and the hopes that it would smooth his own away as well.  
  
She felt his thumb caress her cheek and she leaned further into his palm to feel his warmth while closing her eyes until she felt his thumb linger over her lips.  
  
He realized he had unconsiously let his thumb graze her lips while he had been standing there just staring at her relaxed features and wishing it would stay like that for ever. 'Why do I feel like kissing her so badly? Hey wait why I'm I leaning in?'  
  
She opened her eyes and admired his boyishly handsome features and her eyes fell on his lips and realized he was leaning in. 'Woah, what's he doing? Hey, what am I doing? I'm not supposed to be leaning in too!' she thought.  
  
~*~  
  
A/N: GASP! What will happen now? Will they kiss? Will there be an interuption? Will he push away? Will she slap him? When will I update? As soon as I get some reviews. ^_^ I already got the next chapter done so I'm just waiting on you guys. ^_~ thanks to those who are reading and reviewing. I truly appreciate it.  
  
Much love,  
Brazil 


	5. Old Loves Old Enemy, New Loves New Enemy

A/N: Hey, I'm back! I hope you enjoy this chapter. And thank you for the reviews and like I said I truly appreciate it. If possible or more like if I have time after I'm done typing here, I'll be posting up my next story. If you want to know what it's about then go check out my author's bio thingy. If I can't post it up tonight it would most likely be tomorrow. I guess that's all I have to say except that I'm half way through KMM's next chapter, but besides that, lets get on with the story.

Disclaimer: Inuyasha does not belong to me

Ch. 5 Old Loves' Old Enemy, New Loves' New Enemy

She opened her eyes and admired his boyishly handsome face and her eyes fell on his lips and she realized he was leaning in. 'Woah, what is he doing? Hey, what I'm I doing? I'm not supposed to be leaning in too!' She thought.

Before either knew what happened they had kissed. A gentle velvety soft kiss that sent shivers all over their bodies and sinking stomachs tie in untieable knots. Both minds cleared of all other thoughts besides the feeling of that one gentle kiss. At that moment all questions, all feelings, and all confusions were sorted out and answered.

Akaya went stiff for a split second before they made contact and the second they did she relaxed almost instantly. She knew. She knew at that moment what she felt for him and her heart beat thundered like a caged bird. She knew where she belonged. She had never felt so right or so alive before and she felt like she was home. She had, with out realizing it, lifted her arms to wrap around his neck and respond to the kiss.

Shippou's heart could've fluttered all the way out of the atmosphere if it was let go and he knew at that instant that he loved her with out a doubt. His knees went weak at feeling her respond to him, which was something he never expected her to do. He wrapped his arms around her waist and brought her closer while putting a little more pressure into the kiss.

They slowly descended into the water to the point were you could only see their heads while Sakura flowers feathered down around them. The wind blew rustling their bangs as the moment extended.

Akaya pulled away first for some air gently rubbing a hand over his cheek not believing that she had just done that. She had already turned pink at the cheeks but turned a deep crimson all the way down to the base of her neck just by looking up at him. She had seen something in his eyes that was unexpected. She saw love, the same love she felt at the moment. She couldn't help but turn her head away to hide her blush and she had to try and calm her heart and breathing which was shallow and almost a pant.

Shippou saw her turn away. He wanted to tell her how he felt. He wanted to tell her that he loved her and that he wanted to be with her, protect her, and just be by her side like when they were little. But he could only think of an apology. "Akaya I'm sorr..."

"No." she said cutting him off. "It was my first. I don't want to regret it." She said looking up at him.

"Me neither." He breathed out in relief and smiled at her knowing that they wouldn't end up regretting this later on.

She smiled back. "I'm glad it was you." She continued while her blush returned.

"Me too…" He said, but this time his grin was smug and cocky along with some pride. "So...When can we have another kiss"

Akaya's eyes grew wide as her face turned red and she sputtered over her words. She looked back at him when he started laughing and realized he had only been teasing her. 'Why that cocky little clown...arhhh, I swear I'll kill him.'

"In your dreams" she retorted and grabbed his shoulder, ducking him under water before he could take in air. He came back up coughing, choking, and sputtering water.

"Hey! You trying..." cough"to..." cough, sputter"drown me" gag.

Akaya laughed and ignored his question while swimming over to the bank and pulling herself out.

Shippou looked at her like she was crazy before his eyes took in the appearance of her completely drenched figure. He blushed at seeing her wet clothes stick to her body showing her every curve. Her raven black hair stuck to the side of her face and her ears drooped with the weight of the water. She stretched her shirt out and started ringing the water out of it and he couldn't help but gawk at her smooth pale stomach and wonder how soft it probably felt.

Akaya realized he was staring and blushed but at the same time rolled her eyes. She walked over to him and offered a hand. "Come on, we have to get going before we run out of daylight."

Shippou prayed she hadn't realized he was staring and took her hand. "Yeah… Right, I'll go grab the bag back up at the top of the cliff. I'll be back in a sec." He said taking off.

Once he was out of sight she let out a breath and slumped against the base of the Sakura tree and put a hand over her heart. She could only get one thing out. "Woah" she had a big stupid grin on and felt a wave of bliss wash over her. 'That came out of no where. Okay, I like him a lot, no, strike that, I love him. That kiss had felt so right. Almost like I was truly home where I was supposed to be. That's it isn't it? That empty feeling I had in me for years, him, this era, this is where I was meant to be. I feel free here and around him. I always did. Shit! Look at me! It's only been a day and I've already fallen head over heals for my old playmate!' she thought as she rung the water out of her long hair.

Shippou ran all the way up the cliff before he let himself go through an actual thought. 'Woah! That was amazing! Not only that but it felt right. Ever since she left it felt like a part if me was missing but I hadn't realized it then. Now she's back and I feel like my old self again, but renewed in a way. I know how I feel now. I love her, I always have. Back then I had loved her like a sister or a friend but now she's more than that to me. I just hope she feels the same way.' He thought, as he was already half way down the cliff.

Akaya came into view and he smiled. He realized she had a thing on her head but couldn't quite put his finger on what it was called. It was a ban-dan- da or something.

"Hey, ready" he asked eyeing the thing on her head.

"Yeah, let's go." She said smiling up at him. She saw he was looking at her bandana and smiled. She had needed something to hold her bangs out of her face and keep the scorching sun from burning the tips if her ears so she pulled out a soggy bandana she had in her pocket.

"What's up with that thing" he said still eyeing the bandana.

"What this? It's a bandana. I'm using it to hold back my bangs and keep the sun from burning my ears. I had it in my pocket. Mom always told me to carry around a bandana just in case." She said.

"Oh, but doesn't it squish your ears" he asked sounding truly concerned.

Akaya giggled at his expression. "Yeah, but it's better than a hat. Plus I'm used to it since I wear them all the time at school."

Shippou scowled at the reminder of a hat. All the times that he had been through the well when they were little he was forced to where a 'hat' to cover his ears. And they also had made him tuck in his tail as well and wear those horribly uncomfortable 'shoes' thingies. Then something else she had said struck him. 'skool'?

"Skool" he questioned. "Your mom used to do the same thing right"

"Yeah, I have to hide my ears from the humans. I'm surprised I had only been caught twice but all I had to do was switch schools. The hard thing was finding a school that let kids wear bandanas or convince one to let me wear one."

"Oh, so no one knows about your heritage" he asked.

"Well, not really. The first day of middle school, I had been caught when some idiot was fooling around and pushed me into a bush. My bandana had been caught on a twig and was pulled right off my head. No one saw it come off and the kid that pushed me ran away. Four people came to help me out of the bush and saw my ears. I thought they would have made fun of me for finding out my secret or something but they helped me up. They accepted me and they're the only ones who know my secret outside of my parents and we've been friends ever since."

"That's nice. I'm glad you were doing okay." He said smiling at her.

"Yeah, they're great people. There's Suki, she's got a great personality and she's fun to talk to. There's Yamei, she loves to play sports and she's tough to the core. Then there's Sei, she's dependable and very smart. And then there's Kenji, he's great and very sweet. He always had a habit of defending me from the bullies."

Shippou stopped in his tracks. 'Kenji? HE! HE's sweet! HE's great! HE's always defended her! He! Kenji is a HE!'

Akaya realized that Shippou had stopped and looked back to see him rooted to the spot and with a slight horror struck face. "Shippou? Are you okay? What's wrong" she asked walking up to him and slightly touching his shoulder.

Her touch brought him back out of his scrambled state. Just when he thought everything was becoming clear to him he goes right back to confused. He looked down at her and couldn't help but feel his heart ache at the thought of her belonging to some one else. He turned away to hide his hurt but answered her.

"Is...Is Kenji your...your boyfriend" he asked not daring to look up at her.

'Oh no.' Akaya groaned inwardly. 'He thinks Kenji is my boyfriend. Why did I bring him up? I'm so stupid!' Kenji was never her boyfriend even though he had always had a crush on her since they met but she had never had any real interest in him. He had started asking her out on dates when they had started high school and she went along with it every now and then but had always let him know it was only between friends. But Kenji had never given up. (A/N: I got to tell you that there's more to this Kenji character, a lot more, but your gonna have to wait till I get to that chapter to find out in which I can't wait myself to write. )

"No way, not Kenji. He's not my type." She said quickly. She saw Shippou let out a heavy sigh and his lip twitch up into a smirk. She giggled at his unnecessary worry. "Why? Were you scared some one might take me away from my favorite Kitsune" She said poking his side playfully and smiled at him.

"No! I just..." He was cut off from his protest when she leaned up and kissed his cheek.

"Don't worry about it." She said taking his hand and intertwined her fingers with his.

He returned the gesture and smile down at her. Inside he was almost jumping for joy; he had no idea of what he would've done if she were taken. He would have gone crazy and declared his love for her and begged her to stay.

They walked the rest of the day and had a few rematches after the last race and had only stopped to pull out some candy bars as lunch, which Shippou was more than happy to go along with. Chocolate was pretty much his favorite food and was ecstatic to see one after so long. Ever since Kagome had introduced him to the stuff when he was little he was hooked, but after they left he hadn't seen one since then. The sun was already descending the sky making the sky look pink, purple, and orange. They guessed they still had about an hour before the sun completely set so they were looking for a place to spend the night.

Akaya stopped in her tracks and looked around. She stuck a hand out in front of Shippou to stop him as well.

"What's wrong" he asked.

"I sense something. A strong aura. And it's coming our way fast." She stated looking around a little more frantic than before to try and see where it was coming from.

Shippou quickly stepped in front of her. "Stay behind Me." he commanded. He sniffed the air and growled at the scent that reached him. "No! Not him! Not now" he growled beneath his breath.

Akaya sniffed the air as well. "Wolf" she questioned. "Do you know who it is"

"Yeah, and he either smelled you or sensed the jewel."

"Me? Why..." she was cut off when a tornado looking thing came out of no wear in clouds of dust and stopped right in front of her. She squeaked when she felt something grab her hands and pull her up to a firm chest. Shivers went down her spine when she came in contact with this person and they were shivers that she didn't like one bit.

"Kagome, I knew you'd leave that dog-turd and come back to me. What happened, you were so out of range of my senses that I haven't been able to sense you for years. And..."

Before she could protest at the stranger or even before he could finish she was pulled out of his embrace by a growling and very pissed off Shippou.

"GRRRR...She's not Kagome! So stay away"

"What are you talking about kit! You think I don't know my own women when... I...see...her" he said slowing his words down when he spotted her ears.

Akaya got a good look at the guy who assumed her to be her mother. The first thing she noticed was that the guy seemed to have a skirt on and a tail that obviously resembled a wolf. He had long black hair that was tied up sort of like Shippou's and strange cobalt eyes. He looked to be about her age. But she knew he had to be way older if he knew her mother way back then.

Koga sniffed at them and Shippou pushed Akaya behind him. "You're... not... her." He stated more like a question. His eyes narrowed when he took another sniff. "You're that bastards whelp" he exclaimed. "And you're that Kitsune that always followed Inu-idiot around, aren't you"

"What did you expect! It's been about 17 years" Shippou barked at him. 'What an idiot! It's been about 17 years and he still hasn't gotten a clue.' He thought.

It had snapped in her head who this guy was. She had remembered her mother telling her stories about a crazy wolf youkia who had declared his love for her on the first day they met and had sent her father over the wall with jealousy. He kept calling her his women and insulted her father ever chance he got. She had an idea of what his name was but wasn't sure if what she had in mind was it. Also it had irked her that some fool would even consider insulting the one person she respected the most.

Koga shook with anger and his fists tightened. 'I can't believe that idiot did that to my Kagome! He'll pay for that! She had always been so out of range I couldn't even pick up her scent to follow after Naraku's defeat. There was always a time when her scent would disappear from around were the den is, before Naraku was defeated, but she had always returned some time after. But this time even if I had done a day's travel I still wasn't able to smell her out. That damn Inu-koru had probably dragged her far away to the point where I wasn't able to smell her.' he thought.

"Koga" Akaya asked testing out the name to see if it was the right one.

She saw him smirk and step closer to her in which Shippou just pulled her further back.

"Well I guess you've heard of me, I ..." he was cut off when Akaya jumped out from behind Shippou and punched him square in the face knocking him back about 20 feet.

Shippou's mouth dropped to the ground and he gawked at her with eyes so wide that his pupils were dilated. He knew she was a hanyou and she was stronger than most humans but DAMN she knew how to throw a punch. 'Guess that's what you get when you're the daughter of 'the great Inuyasha.'

"I don't know who the hell you are but you have no right to be talking about my father like that" she said growling beneath her breathe.

Koga stood up completely dumbfounded that he was decked by a hanyou. Not to mention a girl hanyou since the only other hanyou that ever decked him was Inuyasha. He grabbed his nose and winced when he realized it was broken. "You've got spunk, I like that." He said walking towards her. Akaya just growled and got into a better fighting stance.

Shippou wasn't about to let her fight even if she could throw a punch. But before he could step in front of her Koga saw something glimmer around her neck and stopped his advance. He smirked when he realized it was the jewel.

Akaya didn't miss a second of it and growled in warning.

"What's you name wench" he asked.

Akaya growled even louder and never left her stance but still answered him. "Akaya…" She stated.

Koga ignored her growl and put on a grand smile while embraced his hands with hers so quickly that he was a blur. "Well my darling Akaya, you're my women now and I love you." He said proudly.

Both Akaya and Shippou's eyes dilated into little specks and they sweat dropped. Akaya stood there opening and closing her mouth completely stunned at the idiot's declaration.

Shippou's fists clenched at his sides and his eyebrows twitched while he growled. "She's not your women you idiot" he yelled in Koga's face.

Akaya had finally collected her thoughts enough to find her voice and was about to say something when she felt Koga grab her, pulling her close to his chest and start running his mouth again.

"Your right…" He said simply. "She's not my women."

Akaya and Shippou were left completely confused again.

"She's my mate to be." He said with an extremely arrogant smile.

Akaya face faulted and Shippou growled menacingly at Koga.

"Fuckin bastard! I'll kill you if you lay one hand on her" Shippou slashed out at him to try and get him to loosen his grip on her but he jumped out of his reach with her.

Koga looked down at her and smiled at her but it was nothing near kind. "I'm gonna take you like I should of done with your mother all those years before. Plus you've got the whole jewel, which could make us an unstoppable pair"

Akaya looked up at him and a wave of anger washed over her at his words. She yanked herself out of his death grip and turned towards him. She was about to strike back when Shippou came in and rammed his elbow into Koga's side at full force.

"Get out of here I can handle him" he shouted over to her, but ended up regretting it when Koga had gotten back up and knocked him clear across the face sending him through a few trees.

"How dare you" she snapped at him.

Koga walked up to her and saw her rage and couldn't help but be intrigued by the fire in her eyes. "You can't compare me to that kit! He's no better than that dog turd Inuyasha" he returned.

"Shippou is way better than you'll ever be! You're the one who can't compare yourself to him and don't you dare talk about my father or mother" she screamed at him feeling her nails dig into her palms as her shoulder shook with rage.

Koga felt his anger rising and narrowed his eyes at her.

Shippou had almost been knocked out after going through three trees in a row but stayed cognizant, getting up just in time to hear Akaya's comparison of him and Koga. He glanced at her seeing her trembling form and could practically see the angry aura that surrounded her. 'Oh man, she's got to be really ticked to be like that.' He thought. But nothing prepared him for the anger that went through him at what Koga did next.

Koga had harshly grabbed Akaya by the arm twisting it back, bringing her up against him and taking her lips in a bruising kiss. Akaya felt tears sting her eyes at the pain in her arm and the kiss and so much anger swell up inside her that she had no idea what to do with it.

Shippou bared his claws and fangs and charged at top speed towards Koga. Koga realized his attempt and let go of Akaya pushing her to the ground making her hit her head on a rock and knocking her unconscious.

Shippou launched his fox fire directly at Koga when he turned back to face him after pushing Akaya away. His fist glowed blue tinge and he punched Koga right across the face knocking him straight across the clearing and sliding across the dirt ground half way there.

Koga wobbled to his feet breathing heavily and wiped the blood away from his face. "What was that? I never remembered you having that ability kit! You only had fox fire." Koga said trying his best to keep to his feet.

Shippou was also breathing heavily but still smirked at his surprise. "This is fox fire. I got stronger, it got stronger. Simple." He confirmed.

Koga could have sworn he saw a flash of red go across the kits eyes but kept to himself and glared at him.

Shippou stepped over to where Akaya was to see if she was okay. The sight of her blood on her forehead made his own boil. He turned back to Koga and glared at him. "You bastard! I'm gonna kill you! How dare you even think about touching her"

"What? You stakin claims kit! You obviously haven't marked hr so she's up for grabs" Koga stated with a smug grin that had no humor to it.

"So what if I'm stakin a claim! Even if I wasn't I would never let you have her and she would never want you" he retorted.

"Ha! You think you could give her everything that a real youkai should! You're nothing but a little kit! You don't deserve some one with so much strength and power"

"You're only after her for the jewel"

"And the fact that I find her very intriguing and beautiful." Koga said chuckling at the angered expression on the kit's face. "This time I won't be the one to lose. Especially not to a weak youkai like you" he continued.

"We'll just see about that"

They charged at each other at a blinding speed and on impact a sickening slash was herd followed by a pain filled groan.

Koga stood up and lifted a hand towards his cheeks and felt a trickle of blood come in contact with his fingertip. He turned towards Shippou and grinned.

Shippou was kneeled on the ground holding his shoulder, were Koga had slashed at. The blood had already seeped through his fur vest and was sliding down his chest.

"Now time to claim my prize." Koga said walking towards Akaya.

Shippou's eyes grew wide and he growled viscously. Forgetting his blood gushing wound and pain surging through his upper body he stood up. His eyes flashed red and he had only one thing in mind. 'Akaya.'

Before Koga knew what happened Shippou came up and kicked his back sending him back a few feet. Koga went to punch him back but he jumped out of the way just in time leaving Koga to make a small crater on the ground.

Shippou came up in front of him, punching him right in the stomach knocking the air out of him, followed by another kick to the side. Koga stood up gasping for air and he spit out some blood. He almost felt like grinning. The kit had definitely improved over the years. 'Maybe I should leave this for later. There scent should still be here after two days or so. I have someone who needs know of my latest discovery and with his agreement, like he'd even have a choice…' he mentally scoffed. 'I'll return for the girl. She'll be an asset to the future of my clan and hopefully put some backbone on a certain idiot.'

"I suggest you leave Koga. Before I change my mind about sparing you and decide to kill you instead." He said trying to keep his voice steady since he felt like he was about to pass out.

"I will, but you keep in mind that I will be back for her and for your life." He growled before picking himself up and running away.

Shippou fell on his knees and clutched his bleed shoulder. "Akaya, I have to get her out of here." He told himself. He sniffed the air for any form of water near by. He searched for a while before he finally picked up on one that didn't seem too far.

He quickly got up and draped Akaya over his good shoulder hoping that he wouldn't pass out before they got there. He lept off in the direction he had smelled the water holding her close to him.

A/N: Hope you like, I think you'll like the next one even better, but until then keep reviewing. It's really late now so I won't be updating the chapter to my new story until tomorrow. And if I get any luck I'll be updating the next chapter of KMM as well.

Ja ne

Brazil


	6. MASTER INUYASHA WILL KILL ME!

A/N: SORRY, SORRY, SORRY and SORRY a million times more. I know I took TOO long but I rewrote this chapter three different ways trying to decide which way was best to go on and then after making a decision I had to go back and do some editing to it. But just think of it this way, THE NEXT CHAPTER IS HERE! YAY! Lol, that should work right? Well Thank you so much for all the reviews, love ya's!   
  
Kouji Ishida: I thank you for your review and wanted to let you know that the plot hasn't even been started. There's a lot more to come and I promise you there will be Kag and Inu in there as well. But they won't get there till about the tenth chapi so it'll take a little while longer. Also I must point out that Koga doesn't have the jewel shards to make him any stronger or faster. It's in his nature to be fast but he's not as fast as he was before. Another thing is that Shippou is all grown up and a lot stronger than before too. He's learned to make his fox fire a lot stronger and he concentrates that power into his fist. He can still do the silly shape-shifting thing but I think he is strong enough to take on Koga. (You probably noticed by the last chapter. ) They're at an equal level at the moment. I'd like to tell you more but then it'd be spoiling the story. Ne ways thanks for the review.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any original character from the show. Hehehe but I do own Akaya and Taiken, that's good enough for me.  
  
Ch.6 Master Inuyasha Will Kill Me!!!  
  
Akaya found herself in a pitch-black landscape. She could see nothing and felt as if she was floating in mid air. An unseen breeze flew past her ruffling her hair and sending a bone freezing chill down her spine. She shivered and wrapped her arms around herself, trying to rid the goose bumps that formed all over her body.  
  
"Where am I?" she whispered. Her body started to feel as if it was floating down. Before she knew it she felt her feet land on ground but still she couldn't see a single thing.  
  
"Akaya..."  
  
Akaya snapped around in the direction she sensed the voice coming from. It was soft, gentle, and a whisper of her name. In a way, it's sound comforted her but yet the feeling of the unknown frightened her. She could sense a strange presence near by but just couldn't pin point it.  
  
"W-who's out there?" she questioned.  
  
"Akaya..." it repeated but this time it was stronger and closer. It was definitely feminine and echoed slightly making her loose her sense of direction from which the voice was coming from.  
  
"Who are you?" she questioned again, looking around franticly to see if she could catch a glimpse of the voice's owner.  
  
"That is not important, you have a destiny to full-fill."  
  
"D-destiny? What are you talking about?"  
  
"You are destined to complete what the ones before had started."  
  
"What? I-I don't understand! The ones before me? What are you talking about?"  
  
"You will need help to complete your objective. You will need mainly one individual. Someone who was and is special to you."  
  
"Who is it? What is my objective?"  
  
The voice continued to ignore her questions. "You have great powers Akaya, you must learn to use them so you can complete what the ones before you had started. It is your destiny."  
  
"Hold on! Quit ignoring my questions! You're going to have to put more detail in your explanation lady!" She said getting angry at being ignored and the fact that she was confused beyond all reason wasn't helping her frustration.  
  
"You will understand as you go. Stay near the ones you love. They will help and protect you while you complete your objective and help your strength grow." The voice began to sound as if it was drifting away and unknown to herself she reached out a hand as if to stop it.  
  
Her heart seemed to race and her breath came short. She didn't want the voice to leave yet. "Your leaving?! No, wait you can't go yet. You haven't explained this to me! I still don't understand!" she tried running but she was getting no where and the voice kept fading.  
  
"You will understand. You will know everything soon enough." The voice kept fading as it reassured her.  
  
"No! Please wait! Who's this main person I have to find?! What's this thing I have t complete?!"  
  
"You will know soon..." it whispered and the presence she felt before disappeared.  
  
Akaya felt another breeze sweep by her more fiercely than before sending another chill through her making her realize how hot she felt and how warm her skin was to the touch. Her breaths came in pants and she felt weak and tired and more so, confused. Her head was throbbing and her eyelids began to slide closed before she collapsed to the ground in her dark surroundings.  
  
KNOCK! KNOCK!  
  
"Sweetheart? Can you get the door for me?" Kagome yelled from inside the kitchen. "My hands are full!"  
  
"Yeah sure." Inuyasha responded from the couch. He grumbled slightly as he walked over to the door. The instant he opened the door he was tackled to the ground by two over excited children.  
  
"Uncle Inu!!!" came two small voices from underneath his chin.  
  
Yuki! Sano! What are you two brats doing here?" he teased while playfully rubbing their heads.  
  
Yuki looked up at him with her father's big sparkling brown eyes and giggled showing her mother's smile. "We got here early Uncle Inu!" she cheered the obvious while throwing her hands up in the air. Her short curly brown hair bounced lightly and her dimples showed when she smiled at her uncle.  
  
He looked at the little six-year-old with mirth in his eyes until a hand latched out and pulled on a lock of his hair to get his attention.  
  
"Hey uncle Inu! Can you transform for me? Please? Please? Please?!" the little eight-year-old boy begged and stuck his bottom lip out for effect. His dark blue eyes were wide and had an intentional watery look to it even though it was nearly covered by his straight black hair.  
  
The two stared at him expectantly until they heard their father's voice, which effectively made them shrink back and off their uncle.  
  
"Yuki, Sano, what did I tell you?" a much older Souta said from the door way with hands full of bags.  
  
"Sorry." They squeaked and hid behind their uncle when he stood up.  
  
Inuyasha looked up at Souta with an amused look. "Hey squirt." Inuyasha greeted with his Old Nick name he used on him and a warm smile.  
  
"Hey Inuyasha-onii-san." Souta greeted with his own Old Nick name. "Sorry about the kids." Souta smiled and shook Inuyasha's hand.  
  
"What these little pebbles?" he reached down picking them both up by the shirt collar and held them at eye level with their father and giving him an amused grin. They squealed and laughed at being lifted up. "Ah, I don't mind."  
  
Souta-chan?" Kagome popped her head out of the kitchen in disbelief at the sounds that were coming from her living room. When her eyes landed on her brother, nephew, and niece she squealed and rushed over to them. "You're early! Oh, I missed you guys so much! How ya been?" she asked hurriedly giving them all hugs.  
  
"We've been good." Souta responded.  
  
"Where's Tetsami?" she asked.  
  
"She's pulling some stuff out of the car." He responded casually.  
  
Kagome blinked at her younger brother. "You left her to take the things out of the car by herself?" she questioned giving him a dry look. "What kind of husband are you? You can't even help your own wife?" she chided.  
  
Before he could respond the he had taken a few things out of the car himself she had already gone out the door to help her sister-in-law. "Wemen." Souta scoffed.  
  
Inuyasha gave an amused 'feh' and led Souta over to the couch followed by Yuki and Sano.  
  
"How you been Inuyasha?" Souta asked.  
  
"We've been good, Akaya left yesterday."  
  
Souta gave him a questioning look.  
  
"Her sixteenth birthday...the well." He stated.  
  
Dawning showed on Souta's face and he grinned. "Yes, I remember. The promise. How are you two handling it?" he asked.  
  
"He won't stop fidgeting." Kagome said from the door, smiling at her husband's irritated look. She stepped in followed by Tetsami and set the luggage aside. The young woman behind her was almost as tall as Kagome with curly brown hair and light blue eyes.  
  
They came over and sat down on the couch. "Hey Inuyasha. What's this I hear about Akaya not being here to receive her portable DVD player?" Tetsami asked.  
  
"She went through the well. Remember the promise? I..." Kagome started before quickly being cut off.  
  
"Oh Kagome I almost forgot! We came early for a reason." Tetsami said quickly with an excited look on her face.  
  
"Huh?" Inuyasha gave Souta a glance who had a broad grin on.  
  
Sano jumped on his uncle's lap and proceeded to grab his locks again and pulled forwards. "Where moving!!" he cheered.  
  
Kagome and Inuyasha looked shocked.  
  
"M-moving? Where?" Kagome asked.  
  
"When?" Inuyasha added.  
  
"Back here to Japan of coarse." Souta said proudly.  
  
Kagome squealed loudly along with Tetsami and they hugged each other while the rest just covered their ears.  
  
"That's great!"  
  
"I know! I mean America is an awesome place to go to put you get home sick after a few years."  
  
Kagome smiled broadly until a thought struck her. She was about to voice it when Inuyasha cut in.  
  
"What about your jobs?"  
  
"That's the whole reason why where moving back." Souta said. "The Microsoft Company I work for is turning into a world wide distributor. Since I'm one of the few Japanese working men over there he sent me back over here to be the receiver and distributor for their products here."  
  
"Wow, that's great Souta. So it's like a promotion?" Kagome asked.  
  
"Yeah, I'm so proud of Souta. His salary was doubled. It also means that I don't have to work if I don't want to. He'll be making enough money for us to be living off freely." Tetsami said giving her husband an adoring look.  
  
Kagome wasn't sure what to say to that. She looked up at Inuyasha who had his head lowered. The comment had obviously hit a tender spot. She knew that he was hard worker and that he would sometimes get mad at himself for not being able to provide his family with everything they needed and that neither he or her could get away from their responsibilities to go back through the well or any other place for that matter.  
  
Tetsami and Souta both picked up on their mistakes and decided it was the time to bring in their biggest news.  
  
"That's also another reason why were here. We've brought you a gift." Souta said as he saw them give him confused faces and a smile returned to his own. "We've brought you the gift of being able to go back through the well for the expanse of a month." He said. His smile widened at their even more shocked expression than the last.  
  
"WHAT!!" They said at the same time.  
  
He chuckled before continuing. "We were given a month to find a place to live before I start work. So we have a month's worth of time to take care of the shrine while your gone and search for a house. While that goes on you have a month to enjoy yourselves on the other side of the well." He grinned like a wild cat at their speechless faces.  
  
Kagome was the first to break out of her shock and shook her head to clear it. "What? Y-you mean it? You'll cover for us?" her disbelieving eyes almost looked desperate for them to tell her it wasn't just a dream.  
  
Tetsami, almost as if reading her mind, reached over and laid a hand on her shoulder. "You can go. It's real Kagome. It's the least we could do for how often you guys helped us and support us so far." She saw tears brew up in the corner of Kagome's eyes before the women broke out in hysterics and hugged her sister-in-law.  
  
Inuyasha sat, still shocked. He quickly shook his head and looked up at Souta. "Get your bags ready my friend because you're going home." Souta said smiling. Inuyasha gave him a grateful look but it was beyond how he was feeling. The thought of throwing himself at the younger man's feet and thanking him and praising him like a god crossed his mind for a split second before he pushed it aside.  
  
Kagome's choked up voice spoke up as she lifted her tear struck face to look at everyone else. "What about my job. My boss is strict. I can't miss any days. We don't get paid vacations." She said.  
  
"Oh, come on Kagome! Queen of playing sick. Don't tell me you haven't tried pulling off sick days? You do get paid for sick days don't you?" her brother asked.  
  
Kagome shook her head. "No, I haven't. It's bad enough I still feel guilty for pulling all those sick stunts way back when and no, we don't get paid with sick days. I told you my boss is rough. Plus I haven't been sick in years." She said.  
  
Her brother gave her a quizzical look. "What are you talking about? At the age of 35 you should be getting sick, it's only natural. You can't say you haven't had at least a cold in over 16 years." He said.  
  
"When will you get old daddy?" Yuki asked.  
  
"Sweet heart daddy already feels old." He said bluntly. She giggled and sat back on the couch next to her brother to watch the conversation like before.  
  
"Strange, you know Kagome, you don't even look like a 35 year old." Tetsami stated giving Kagome a studying stare. "You don't look like a teenager either but more like your in your mid twenties. Maybe younger."  
  
"Well I've been told that before but I just figured it was no big deal. Which I still don't think it is. Plus doesn't this 'not-looking-like-a-35- year-old' and 'not-having-sick-days' mean I'm healthy? There's nothing to worry about." She said brushing off the idea.  
  
"Ah, well don't worry about it Kagome, we'll cover for you, if we can't convince them to give you a paid sick day, well figure something out. I can always go in and take your place until you get back and the kids can stay here with Souta while he runs the shrine for Inuyasha."  
  
"Good luck with that, her boss will never let you get away with that." Inuyasha said. He had his encounters with her boss and he could clearly say that he despised the man. If it was up to him he would get Kagome out of there but it was the best job she could get. It was an underpaid and a hard job. Nothing disgraceful but it was still a hard job that took up a lot of his wife's time. But it was necessary and she insisted on taking it so he let her.  
  
"Look, do you guys trust us?" Tetsami asked.  
  
"Of coarse we do." Inuyasha responded.  
  
"Then know that everything will be handled and your job will be kept. Your family has ways." Souta said with a wink and an amused smile.  
  
"You sure?" Kagome asked.  
  
"Definitely." Tetsami responded.  
  
Kagome hugged Inuyasha. "We're really going." She said as more tears of joy began streaming down her cheeks. Inuyasha kissed her before turning back to his family. "Thank you, you guys...are great." He said.  
  
They smiled and Yuki and Sano cheered while jumping on the couch.  
  
"Well what are you two waiting for? Get up there and get packed before your month runs out." Souta said.  
  
Kagome gave another happy squeal and hugged them all before dashing upstairs. A second later she came back down with a sheepish grin. "Oh, I bet you guys are hungry huh? Lunch is already on the table." She said dashing off again.  
  
They smiled as they watched Kagome run upstairs again. "Yep that's Kagome for ya." Inuyasha said.  
  
Akaya's eyes snapped open as she sat up right in a fast jerky motion from her sleep. Her breathing was heavy and rapid like in her dream. Her heart was racing as she felt a sharp painful throbbing near her temple. 'What the hell was that?' she mentally questioned.  
  
The weight of something on her shoulder pushing her back onto her back caught her attention. She slowly took in her surroundings. First spotting a pair of green molten orbs hovering over her. Then dark fire red hair followed by concern written all over a very handsome face.  
  
"'Shippou?" she croaked out, her voice sounding hoarse and weak. She smiled though when he nodded.  
  
Saying that he was upset and worried was an understatement. He had been beyond that and the relief that fluttered back when he heard her tired voice was very much welcomed. He was still upset that she had gotten hurt and angry that it was that bastard that hurt her. He was feeling even more upset at himself though, because they had just started this little trip and already he showed that he couldn't protect her properly.  
  
Her hand brushing against his cheek brought him back from his thoughts. "You know, your really cute." She said. A small blush tinged his cheeks as she spoke to him through half lidded eyes.  
  
She giggled at him as she watched his embarrassment grow. She was trying to ignore the throbbing in her head that was making itself noticed. "Shippou?" she asked.  
  
"Yeah..."  
  
"Make the birdies stop flying." She said and passed out. Shippou bit his lip to keep himself from laughing out loud. He shook his head, as he was able to finally leave her side momentarily to get some dinner for when she wakes up again.  
  
"Wow! It's like taking your very first breath. Fresh and clean." Kagome sighed as she took in the loved familiarity of her surroundings.  
  
"Yeah...I've missed everything about this place. Well...minus the youkai." Inuyasha said coming to stand next to her. She laughed and took his hand.  
  
"Come on. I can't wait to see everyone!" she said pulling him along the familiar path to their old beloved village.  
  
Akaya's eyes slowly came open as she blinked away the blur from her vision. She groaned at the pain that was still at her temple but it some how seemed weaker to her. She turned her head to the right to see Shippou coaxing a fire with a pair of fish roasting over it. He looked up at her and gave her a weak smile. He pulled out one of the fishes from the fire and brought it over to her.  
  
She slowly tried sitting up as he helped her by putting a hand on her back. 'You okay?" he asked. She nodded not trusting her voice at the moment.  
  
"You scared me there for a minute. Thought you'd never wake up." He said jokingly but too weak to lighten the mood.  
  
A hand went automatically up to her head. She felt the bandages where the small throbbing was and gasped. "What happened?" she questioned backing up a little. Before he could answer she had gasped again and clutched her head. "Koga." She whispered as tears began stinging her eyes.  
  
Her tears tugged harshly on his heartstrings. He did his mental play back of going back and completely aniliating Koga. He quickly put the fish down and brought her into his embrace.  
  
"Shhh. He's gone for now. I promise he won't be coming near you ever again." He said running a hand through her hair. She clutched onto his vest and pressed her cheek to his chest as she cried. Unfortunately she had grabbed his vest near his injured shoulder and he let out a grunt of surprise.  
  
She pulled away to see his injured and badly bandaged shoulder. She quickly let go and looked around for her pack. Before he could say that he didn't need anything she was up and retrieving her bag.  
  
She came back drying off the rest of her tears and sat in front of him determined to get him fixed up first. "Why didn't you tell me you were hurt?!" she chided. "What happened after...after..." she couldn't even finish her question before tears began pooling up again.  
  
He turned his gaze away from her. "You don't want to know." He said in a slight gruff manner. She looked up at him to see his expression dark and serious, which was very uncharacteristic coming from the Shippou she knew. "HE hurt you didn't he?" she said while searching through her bag for her first aid kit. Finding what she needed she put it aside and started unwrapping the bandages that he had tried putting on.  
  
He grunted as she peeled off the blood stained bandage. "It's nothing. Any ways I got him good enough before he ran off." He said after a moment so he'd distracted himself from the pain. He had brought her back after the fight and bandaged her up then had gone to try and bandage his own wound in vain. It had been deeper than he thought so the blood had seeped through. It had only been about a quarter of the day so he wasn't fully healed and it was already late night.  
  
Not wanting to seem too weak in front of her he pulled away before she could wrap the new bandage around his shoulder. "I'm fine. It's healed enough, I don't need bandages." He said looking away.  
  
She narrowed her eyes at his stubbornness. She knew wounds, and his was still tender enough for the need of bandages. Grabbing his cheeks she turned him to face her. "Why are you being so stubborn?!" she snapped. By now she had already forgotten about the whole Koga thing.  
  
He pulled away and narrowed his own eyes. "Look, I'm not being stubborn. I just don't need bandages I'm healing fine on my own!"  
  
Her eyes narrowed even harder. "Fine, be that way! I'm only trying to help!" she snapped turning her back to him.  
  
He glared at her back for a second before he sighed and slumped his shoulder, which reminded him that he was still hurting and injured. Lifting a hand to his shoulder he realized his wound had reopened and was bleeding again.  
  
Akaya sniffed taking in the scent of blood. "You're bleeding again." She said with out turning back around.  
  
"Fine." Was the only thing he said and she took it as queue to bandage him up. She picked the bandage back up and started wrapping it around his shoulder. She sighed. "When did you get so stubborn?" she asked. "It's not like you, ya know."  
  
"Yeah well, I guess I've changed some while you were gone." He said. "There a problem with that?" he asked after a moment.  
  
She looked up at him after she finished bandaging him up and smiled. "No...Your still Shippou, I like you no matter what. Even if you have gotten a little stubborn. I'd say you pulled it off of daddy." She said mumbling the last part.  
  
He gave her a light growl but ignored it from there. Though the fact the she didn't care whether or not he wasn't the exact care free little boy from way back when didn't bother her, caused him to smile. "I'm sorry, I promise if he ever shows up here again I'll make sure he never walks again."  
  
She turned away so he wouldn't see the smile on her face before whispering, "not unless I get to him first."  
  
He laughed but stopped when he heard a startled squeak come from her. "Oh my gosh, it's already dark! What time is it?!" she said looking around desperately as if searching for a clock on a wall.  
  
He glanced up at the sky. "I'd say it's about an hour or so before mid- night." He said. Being in a time with no watches required people to learn how to tell time by the position of the sun or moon.  
  
"You mean I've been asleep this whole time?" she asked blushing furiously. He nodded. "We're so behind. I bet we're still somewhere near that lake aren't we?"  
  
"Calm down, Akaya. It's no big deal. So we're a little behind it doesn't make much of a difference." He said grabbing her hands to hold them still.  
  
She took a deep breath. "Your right. I just... too many things in one day." She said exasperated.  
  
"I know." He said bringing her into his embrace. She was mentally exhausted and didn't want to think of anything at the moment so she let herself slump into his warm arms. "But... not everything was bad about today right?" he asked resting his chin on the top of her head.  
  
She thought back to the lake and blushed at the mental replay of the kiss they had. "Yeah, I guess not everything was bad." Even though he couldn't see, she hid her face further into his chest to hide her embarrassment. He laughed again and held her tighter to him.  
  
"Shippou, if you don't stop laughing at me I swear I'll hurt you." She threatened. He tried to stifle his laughter but it only led him to laugh harder. She pulled away from him and glared at him. His laughing just got louder when she did and she slapped him hard across the head and hissed at him, "Will you stop that!"  
  
"Ow! Damn it! You didn't have to hit me that hard." He said rubbing the back of his head.  
  
"Well you didn't stop laughing. And what was so funny any ways?" she questioned, arms crossed and glaring at him. He chuckled again and to her surprise pulled her in for a gentle kiss.  
  
Surprised at his action she only stiffened for a split second before melting into his warmth. Wrapping her arms around his neck she sighed in content and tried ignoring the butterflies in her stomach. Heat was building up in her cheeks as she felt his hands wrap around her waist and bring her closer.  
  
They pulled away for air and he leaned his forehead against hers. Both their breaths came slightly rapid and Akaya looked at him through half lidded glazed over eyes. "Shippou...?" she whispered a breath away from his lips.  
  
Her breath tickled his cheek as his heart raced a million miles per hour. All he could do was stare into her deep stormy blue eyes. His desire was rising by the minute and so was hers. Before he knew it her mouth locked over his in a quick motion sending him into a dizzying sensation. The action causing him enough momentum to fall back with her on top.  
  
She didn't know what the hell got into her but she knew she liked the feeling and didn't want it to stop any time soon. Her hands moved to rest one against his cheek and the other one on his chest as her body was pressed up against his, almost molded together. He ran a hand through her hair while feeling brave enough to lick her lips for permission to enter since she was the one to start that one. He was almost completely euphoric when she complied and he went in, tasting as much of her as possible. She was sweeter than he had expected and loved it. His hand that had been rubbing up and down her back came to slide under her shirt to touch warm soft and bare skin. She gasped into him when she felt his warm hands come in contact with the bare skin of her back. She almost felt like giggling but at the same time something in the back of her mind was telling her that this wasn't right. Even though she felt right being with him, like she was home, the way it had just happened wasn't right. A little voice in the back of her head was telling 'you'd be dead right now if you were caught'.  
  
"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR DOING?!"  
  
"Ahhhhh!!" she yelled at hearing the angered voice.  
  
"I can explain!" Shippou said quickly sitting in an upright position and unintentionally knocking Akaya off him. He had obviously been thinking the same thing she had. He almost growled out loud when he spotted Myouga's little form hopping up and down in anger.  
  
Akaya had her hand over her heart desperately trying to stop it's racing while thinking over and over 'We did not just do that. We did not just do that. We did not just do that!'.  
  
"Are you crazy!!! What do you think your doing with Akaya-Sama?!!! You want me killed?!!!!!" the little flea yelled jumping up and down in front of Shippou.  
  
"Myouga-jiji?" Akaya questioned when she spotted the little flea. Her brows knitted together as she fixed her clothes quickly while still blushing and moved over towards the little flea who was still hopping madly in front of Shippou. He was growling despite himself and visibly trying not to slam his hand over the flea and smush him for all he was worth.  
  
The flea turned to her and gave her a disapproving glance. "How could you let him put his hands on you Akaya-sama? Master Inuyasha will kill me for this!!" he slammed his little hands to his forehead and shook his head while chanting "No, no, no, no..."  
  
Shippou was about to squash the little bug, when Akaya knelt down and picked up the flea that was about to go into hysterics. He gave her a questioning look and she only blushed before turning back to the flea. "'My father doesn't have to know." She said softly.  
  
The flea immediately stopped his whining and glance up at the girl. "You better hope so young lady cuz..." she gave him a dry glare before squashing him in the middle of his chiding and he floated down to the ground with a small groan. "Ow."  
  
"What are you doing here Myouga?" Shippou questioned pulling his vest back into place.  
  
"Me?!" the little flea questioned popping back up into his normal size. "What are you doing here? And what were you doing with your hand under Akaya-sama's shirt, barbarian?!" he demanded. "Inuyasha-sama will have your head for this!" he snapped. Then sniffled. "And mine too."  
  
"Silence flea." He said slapping a hand over the flea while a small tick developed near his eyebrow. "I'm here for her protection." He growled.  
  
Popping back up again as if nothing happened he glared at Shippou. "HA! Doesn't seem like it to me! And why do I smell wolf and blood on her?"  
  
"Listen you..." he growled.  
  
"STOP! That's enough you two. Myouga-jiji, what are you doing here?" she asked putting herself between the two.  
  
"By order of Inuyasha, he told me to stay near the village because he promised that one day he would be coming back with you guys or at least letting you and your mother come through. He said that if you guys ever do come back through the well that I was supposed to keep an eye on you unless he was with you."  
  
Shippou scoffed. "Looks like some one hasn't been doing their job because she's been here for about three days now and you just now came to find her."  
  
"Daddy, actually said that?"  
  
Myouga glared at Shippou before turning back to Akaya. "Yes he did, because he knew that this was more like home to you and your mother and he told me that he would bring you guys back here weather it killed him or not. He said he would do everything in his power to get one if not both of you back here. He knows how much you and your mother love it here and how much you would miss every one so he told me to keep an eye out. You should show more respect for your father, behaving in such a way would only bring shame and dishonor." He said sternly. She blushed and her ears drooped shamefully as she looked away.  
  
"Not wanting to stay on the subject of her embarrassing behavior she went back to the one before. "Mother would never leave dad's side even if she could. The responsibility of the shrine and supporting us is big for both of them."  
  
"Yes, neither would Inuyasha-sama but for your happiness he would." Myouga continued. He wasn't helping because it just made her feel more shameful.  
  
Not liking the way her ears drooped every time her father's intentions were mentioned and the way her head was lowered Shippou quickly went over to reassure her. "Akaya, it's okay you don't have anything to be ashamed about. You didn't do anything wrong." He said wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her back to sit in his lap.  
  
She wrapped her arms around his waist and hid her face against his chest. "Yeah, but if Myouga-jiji hadn't been here to interrupt, how far would we have gotten?" she asked feeling tears start to form.  
  
"No where because I wouldn't let you." Myouga said from his new perch on Akaya's yellow bag, which was closer to them.  
  
"Quiet flea. Akaya look, I wouldn't of done that unless you asked me to." He said gently lifting up her cheek giving her a soft smile as he brushed away a stray tear. "I... really care about you." He said.  
  
"Really?" at his nod she sighed in relief. Smiling she leaned her lead against his good shoulder carefully minding his injury. "Thank you, Shippou."  
  
Myouga scoffed and turned his back on them. Shippou growled at the flea's back before snatching him up and bringing him about a breath away from his face. "What the hell happened? Why did you leave?" he said changing the subject.  
  
At the question, Akaya's ears perked in curiosity and Myouga went stiff and deafly pail. "Leave? When did I leave?" he asked.  
  
"In the middle of that fight with that Scorpion youkai outside the village about two weeks ago!"  
  
"Er...ehehe...well..."  
  
"You said you knew what we needed to do to kill it then left with out telling us you coward! It took me and Taiken an hour to figure out that we had to strike it in the stomach were the weakest part of its natural body arm was. We were nearly killed!"  
  
"It wasn't my fault I swear!" the little youkai yelped.  
  
"I ought to break your little legs so you'll never run away again." He said. Myouga yelped and wiggled his way out of his grasp and jumped behind Akaya's ear. "Hide me please." He begged.  
  
He went to grab Myouga from behind her ear when her hand shot out and grabbed his wrist before he could reach him. "Not now, I just realized that I never thanked you for saving Me." she said quickly placing a kiss on his cheek. "Thank you."  
  
He grinned from ear to ear, completely forgetting about Myouga. "Doesn't seem like much of a save to me. Your bleeding and so was she. And I still don't approve of this." He said gesturing to their embrace.  
  
"It's only a scratch Myouga-jiji, see?" she said unwrapping the bandage to reveal an almost completely healed cut. "It's barely noticeable." She retorted.  
  
"Yeah, and why is this not approved?" Shippou asked.  
  
Myouga gave him a 'was-that-a-trick-question?' look. "First of all, did you even take in your position before I arrived?" he questioned causing both of them to blush. "Inuyasha will never approve of this, especially not with his... only daughter?" he questioned to make sure that Inuyasha hadn't gone and had more kids during the past few years. At her nod of agreement he went on. "And you've only been near her for three days and already you got your hands up her..." he was cut off when Akaya grabbed him from behind her ear and brought him up to eye level.  
  
"It's not like that!" she said blushing. "It just happened okay? I don't know where you get off saying that because you haven't even been here to know what's been going on?!"  
  
Myouga looked a little frightened at her raised tone of voice but gave them both skeptical looks then sighed. "My apologies." He said towards Akaya. "I agree you're right, I haven't been here to know what has happened. But this will not be excepted. It can't be excepted!" he said.  
  
"Well, why not?" Shippou asked.  
  
"Because MASTER INUYASHA WILL KILL ME!!!"  
  
Sorry, I had to stop it there for now. Twenty pages already. Woah, Probably one of my longest chapters. But any ways, I know there are some things that have probably left you guys confused but I promise that most of it will get covered in the next chapter or two. There's a lot to explain like the dream, Inu and Kag's arrival, Shippou and Akaya's relationship, and the main event in the next chapter, that is if I'll even be able to fit it in there. Lol well next chapter, more reunions, Myouga's playing chaperon, Kagome has a 'dream' of her own. And if I can fit it in there "The Main Event!" hehehe, you'll love it. Like I said before, the plot has barely even started. Not so sure about this chapter, it didn't come out to my satisfaction. Probably because I couldn't stick in every detail I wanted. Well tell me what you guys think and if my spelling is right, in other words review please!   
  
Oh, yes I am working on editing 'Kagome's Match Makers' so don't worry, It hasn't been forgotten. I'm also working on my third story called 'Fighter's Heart', I'd appreciate it if you guys would go and check it out, I think it's interesting enough and I'm almost done with the second chapter to it. Well thank you very much.  
  
Ja ne  
  
Brazil 


	7. The begining of a disaster like no other

My Child Hood love

Disclaimer: yall now it already! Inuyasha yada! Yada! Yada! Belongs to me.

WARNING: Just to let you'll know that I went and did a little change in ch.5, not big just something really important that my stupid self didn't stick in there. Very important to future plot.

Ch. 7 The beginning of the disaster like no other

Disclaimer:

"Sangooooooh!" Kagome sang as she knocked on the door to the hut. They had been instantly recognized by most of the villagers when they had arrived as well as being given stacks of foods as blessings on their way to "the Houshi's hut" as they called it. They took notice that the village had grown quite lush and beautiful.

"Miroku? Anybody home?" she stepped inside the hut looking around but saw no one there but a center fire that served as a living room, a low table to the far left of the entrance and to the far back of the room were 3 other doors that probably led to the bed rooms. "Humm… no one's here."

"Smells like no one's here either." Inuyasha said setting the food from the villagers near the table.

Kagome turned back around to face her husband gone hanyou and smiled. "Come on, lets take a look around outside." She said stepping out the hut. She looked around but still couldn't find them.

Kagome's gaze landed on the main village pathway not too far away and spotted a man walking by while pulling a cart. The man glanced at them and sudden recognition showed on his aged face. Leaving his cart the man walked towards them. "Are yee not the great Inuyasha and Kagome I have so often heard about?" the man asked.

Kagome smiled kindly. "Yes, we are. Do you know where the Houshi or his wife might be?" she asked.

"Why yes, they go down to the resting place of the deceased once in a while. I suppose they are their if not here." The man said.

"Kaede." Kagome whispered sadly towards Inuyasha. He put a hand on her back to try and ease her sadness while swallowing the dryness that formed in his throat. "Uhm, thank you sir we appreciate it." She said turning to the villager.

"You're welcome, here take my blessings and go in peace." He said handing Inuyasha a dead chicken.

Inuyasha gave the man a dry stare and was about to say something when Kagome elbowed him on the ribs. "Thank you sir." She replied for him while his only response was a "Feh."

He waited for the man's departure and then tossed the chicken in the hut with the rest of the food. He shook his head as he walked back to his wife. He took her hand and sighed. "Come on. It's time to visit an old friend."

They arrived at their destination and easily spotted them from a good distance away looking no more than large dots. They walked across the wide field that had large mounds in the ground that were the graves. Most had decors of flowers, stones with kanji engraved in them, or some kind of cloth or object that once belonged to that person.

Kagome's eyes scanned over some of the graves, seeing graves of lost mothers, children, fathers, grandparents, and others. She almost felt like crying as she remembered the old Miko who was like a second mother or even a grandmother to her.

She tried to think of something else, like how she was about to meet up with her best friends after so long. As she reached the familiar grave sight her eyes stayed on the two figures ahead of her when they came into a closer view and she smiled a little.

Inuyasha could here the monk's prayers as he leaned over the old miko's grave. Sango sat to his side saying her own prayer and he could smell tears coming from her. He realized they were too engrossed in their prayers to notice presence when they fully reached them.

Kagome let go of Inuyasha's hand and kneeled down next to Sango, raised her hand for prayer and closed her eyes before speaking, "We've missed you Keade… Sango and Miroku."

At the loud gasps she slowly opened her eyes and looked up at them. "Hi."

It was as if a dam had broken between the both of them as they realized that who they were seeing was actually there. Sango threw herself at her best friend, tears pouring from her harder than she could remember. Miroku felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to see a very familiar pair of amber eyes staring back at him full of amusement. He didn't waste a second before standing and giving Inuyasha a quick embrace.

"Inuyasha! You crazy hanyou! You're here!" He literally shouted. "How?" he said looking from his wife hugging Kagome to Inuyasha and back several times.

"Yeah I know I'm here…" Inuyasha said rubbing his ears. "And it's a long story not to mention the fact that I don't think I'd believe myself if I told you."

Sango pulled away from Kagome, looking up at Inuyasha which ignited more tears from the poor woman as she reached for her husband while trying to wipe away her tears. "Miroku, they're here! They're actually here!" she said hugging her husband. Letting go and standing up she grabbed Inuyasha's ears and gave them a tug. "And they're real!" she exclaimed and laughing despite the tears that were still running down her face.

Miroku smiled. "It's great to see you both. Ha look at you guys!" he said walking towards Kagome and giving her a hug. "You've barely changed at all." He said.

"That's a sweet exaggeration." Kagome said hugging him back. "But you guys… your like… looking good for a couple of thirty year olds." She laughed smiling widely at them. "Ain't it Inuyasha?" she asked. At his lack of response she turned to him with a curious look. "Inuyasha?"

His smile had faded and his eye-brows were furrowed together in confusion as he stared at the grave before him. "Daughter?" was the small quizzical whisper that left his mouth.

Kagome turned to look at the grave and gasped. At the head of the grave was a flat square stone and in the stone were the kanji characters clearly displaying the words 'Beloved daughter and sister… Miratsuki.' "Sango? Miroku?" Kagome asked turning to her friends.

Sango turned to her with a bitter sweet smile along with a fresh batch of tears. "Meet our daughter, Mira."

After the embarrassing incident with Myouga's 'little' interruption, there was an argument on who'd sleep were and with whom. Myouga insisted that the two sleep apart and threatened to tell Inuyasha while Shippou had threatened to squash him. In the end Akaya made the decision.

"Look I'll just sleep over here, okay?" she said walking over to the spot she had been sleeping in before all this had happened. She hoped she wouldn't have to tell him out loud but by the obvious foot steps behind her, he hadn't taken the hint. She didn't want to give the flea the satisfaction of hearing her agree with him. She turned around and let out a heavy sigh. "By… my self. I'll sleep here by my self." She almost changed her mind at the hurt look in his eyes, but she had to if she wanted to clear her thoughts out.

Myouga scoffed and turned his back on them. "Best thing I've heard all evening."

Shippou ignored the flea and looked at Akaya. "You're… you're not mad at me are you?"

"NO! Of course not Shippou. I just need time to think… we both need time to think." She amended while taking his hand in hers.

He gave her the best smile he could muster and nodded despite his disappointment. "Okay, your right." He agreed. She smiled and hugged him.

"Just for tonight." She whispered before pulling back.

"I heard that young lady! Don't think I didn't because I…" Shippou bent down and squashed Myouga before turning back to Akaya with a smirk.

She giggled and looked down at their hands swinging back and forth as a blush made it's way across her face. She felt like she was in one of those teen movies where she was being dropped off at home by her prom date and getting all shy when it was time to say good-bye. "Good night?" she suggested weakly, not really wanting to leave his presence.

He looked up at the still dark sky but descending moon. "Nah, more like good morning but good night works too." He smiled as she giggled. Myouga rolled his eyes and smacked his forehead to purposely knock himself back and let out a frustrated sigh.

"Good night Shippou." She said letting go of his hand and turning to head back to her side of camp.

Panicking at her too soon departure he reached out and grabbed her hand, gently pulling her back to face him. "Wait… I… uh… I…" he let out a frustrated sigh similar to Myouga's at his stuttering while letting his shoulders slump before pulling her in for a quick sweet kiss. Too quick for his likings for it didn't even give Myouga the chance to protest. "Good night." He whispered back.

"N-night." She said with a momentarily startled expression before smiling broadly and stumbling back to her corner of the camp. It was moments like those that left the nagging command to run, cool down, and think things over instead of following her instincts to giggle like a little girl and return to his embrace.

He turned his own back and walked over to a tree a good distance away from her and plopped down in an Indian style sitting position while leaning his head against the trunk of the tree. Letting out a deep sigh he rubbed the back of his neck. He was an emotional wreck, but mind you it mostly good emotions but some were doubts and worries.

Myouga came over and hopped up on his nose giving him a thorough glare while pointing a tiny finger at him momentarily making the kit go cross-eyed. "You better get some sense through that thick head of yours. Humph, such disrespect! How can you even think of putting your hands on her? I'd like to see what you'd do if master Inuyasha was here." He hissed, keeping his voice low so it wouldn't reach their topic of conversation.

Shippou flicked him off his nose and looked over at Akaya to make sure she wasn't listening in before turning back to Myouga. "Listen, you haven't even been here to know what's been going on. How can you say I disrespected her when you weren't here to see that she had started that little scene before you showed up?"

"Are you accusing her of coming on to YOU?"

"NO! Of course not, because I kissed her before that one and I let her kiss me because…" he cut himself short not sure whether to finish or not. He took the chance and finished any ways. "Because… I wanted her to."

"What?" Myouga's jaw nearly dropped. "You've kissed her before that!" he hissed again.

Shippou fisted the little flea up and laid a hand over him to silence his low rant. Blushing furiously he looked over in Akaya's direction to check for any movements from her lying form. He let out a breathe when he didn't see any movements from her. "Will you keep your voice down for heaven's sake?" he snapped.

Myouga squeezed out from between his hands and glared at him. "And what do you mean by 'I wanted her to' Kit?" he asked raising a curious eye brow.

Shippou glared at him though his blush completely gave him away. He let out a heavy sigh before shaking his head. "Look Myouga, I like her okay? I like her more than I've ever liked anyone else before. I don't know how it happened, I just know that it happened and it happened fast. All I know is that the past… what? Three days has left me feeling all… WEIRD and… and I don't know! Just all weird and stuff." He said latching on to his bangs and pulling them down over his eyes in aggravation.

Myouga stared at him, now seeing a very confused and lost boy instead of a disrespectful lust driven man. Realization struck him as he saw that the scene he had walked in on was not some kind of act of hormones gone crazy or lust, inevitably, at least on Shippou's part, he had fallen in love. Myouga started laughing causing Shippou to let go of his bangs and stare perplexed at the flea youkia. Myouga looked back at him but just laughed harder.

Shippou was becoming annoyed with Myouga's loud laughing and gave him a glare before glancing nervously back at Akaya's still form. "And what may I ask is so funny?"

Myouga's laughter slowed into a chuckle as he wiped a tear from his eye. "My boy you've probably gotten yourself into something that you probably will never be able to get yourself out of. But I bid you good luck."

Shippou gave him a disbelieving look. "What are you talking about?"

"Look, I still think master Inuyasha will never approve of this but… as long as you keep your pants up and hands away from her clothes I won't say anything. Though you'll still have to deal with her father and you'll be on your own for that one." He said hopping towards the yellow back pack. "In this situation, I believe master Inuyasha might, and I really do mean MIGHT, be lenient with you. But we'll see, until then good night." With that he hopped into the bag to get the last few hours of night to rest leaving a very speechless and flushed Shippou behind him.

Across camp lay a very equally flushed and embarrassed Akaya. If she wasn't supposed to be pretending she wasn't listening she would've gotten up and squashed him long ago. People seemed to highly underestimate her hearing just because she was hanyou. But what made Myouga change his mind like that? He was completely against the idea when he got here so what caused the shift in opinion? Before she could think any further on the subject her ears twitched as they picked up on a sound from behind her.

Sitting up she came face to face with Shippou. He smiled at her and sat down at the base of the tree she was sleeping under. She turned completely around to face him. "What's up?"

"I got Myouga to let me come here if that's all right with you."

She smiled and nodded. "And how exactly did you get him to let you do that." She asked.

"Uh… well… I uh just told him that he'd get squashed a million times." He finished.

"Oh really?" she asked doubtfully but with a knowing smirk.

"Naw, we just talked and he let me come here. That's all."

She laughed, "Yeah I figured as much." She said deciding to leave the fact that she had over heard them, out for now. A moment passed before she spoke again. "I don't think I'll be able to sleep after that whole… thing." She admitted.

"Yeah." He agreed as he coughed into his hand to get rid of some of the embarrassment that was breaking through his voice. "But you should try. We've got a long day tomorrow.

"Yeah, your right." She said drawing little circles in the sand with her finger. "We still need some time to think this over." She added.

"Yeah, I know." He said staring down at her circles. A pause came between them before he spoke again. "Well I guess I'll be going." He started getting up when a hand grabbed his pulling him right back down. Before he knew it her lips pressed against his and she wrapped her arms around his neck. Coming out of his shock he returned the kiss letting all the frustration and confusion out as he wrapped his own arms around her waist pulling her closer. She put more pressure into the kiss as if she had been mirroring his own emotion, but pulled away a moment later. He looked into her glazed over eye completely amazed at the feelings the girl could provoke in him.

Her breath fanned over his lips as she rested her head against his and tried to control her heart beat and the fluttering in her stomach. "Now we're even." She breathed. "I've kissed you twice and you've kissed me twice."

He smirked. "What about at the lake?" he questioned.

"We kissed each other. Doesn't count."

He smiled; though she was brave enough to say it, her expression betrayed her leaving a beautiful pink across her cheeks. "So you're keeping track now huh?" he teased.

This time she blushed fully. Realizing that she had actually counted them but only because she had over heard him telling Myouga about the times they'd kissed. "Uh… no course not. It's just that… I uh."

He smiled and shook his head, "Never mind, you need some rest." He said getting up.

"Wait a minute," she paused as he turned to look at her seemingly reflecting the same hopefulness that she had. "If Myouga isn't complaining any more… you think you could… keep me company?" she asked shyly.

He nodded. "Alright but I want you to get some rest okay? I don't want you tripping over yourself tomorrow just because you can't keep yourself awake."

She scoffed as he came over and sat down next to her and she laid back down. "Like that would ever happen. Not with this girl."

He shook his head. She reached over and grabbed his hand that rested just above her head from where he sat. "Night Akaya."

"Night Shippou."

Sango quietly poured tea into the cups of her husband and friends. Kagome's heart ached for her friend. She had lost a daughter. It was such horrible thought too. She wouldn't know what to do if she lost Akaya and couldn't even begin to imagine the pain that came along with it. Sango had showed them that Kaede's grave had only been a few feet away and that's probably why they thought they were at Keade's grave and not someone else's. Miroku had informed them on Akaya's where abouts leaving Inuyasha with the reaction of "Thank God she's with some one I trust." (A/N: ) though he knew Myouga would stay by, he just didn't trust the flea to stay by for long. Sango and Miroku left the part about their daughter for their return home.

Now they sat in silence awaiting what could only be a tragic story.

Miroku let out a heavy sigh before speaking. "Sango found out she was pregnant about a month after you guys left. And shortly after, Mira was born. She was… so high spirited, loving, and had the makings for a beauty. She loved to fight though, she got that from Sango's side for sure and she'd walk around all day doing tricks with her weapons trying to learn all these different tricks. All at the age of six. We had even suspected her to posses some spiritual powers from my side as well." He stopped as a lump began forming in his throat.

Sango laid a hand over his and continued speaking in his place. "There was an attack here in the village by a large group of bandits. Taiken had gone out to the market with her… she ran out of his sights right before the attack. Koga's pack had show up to kill most of them and drive them away." At that Inuyasha raised an inquiry eye brow. "But it was too late… this was all we found of hers." She said opening the pouch she had next to her and pulling out a blue aqua colored piece of silk that still bared dry spots of blood.

Kagome watched as Sango cried over the cloth and Miroku rubbed her back reassuringly. "Oh Sango." She said going over to her friend and embracing her tightly. "I'm so sorry Sango." She said softly.

"But why would Koga come all this way? He lives in the northern mountains. What would he be doing so far away from his territory?"

Miroku shook his head. "Come to find those bandits were the same ones who had trespassed on his land and killed one of the families from his tribe. He hunted them down the second he found out." Miroku sighed.

"I'm sorry." Inuyasha told him. "I can't imagine how bad it would feel to loose a child, I don't know what I'd ever do if I lost Akaya in any kind of way." He voiced his thoughts but pushed them away as soon as they left his mouth. If his daughter was ever going to die it was going to be of old age.

Sango sniffed and wiped away her tears. "Yes, though it's been five years and we've learned to accept the fact that she was taken from us and will never be returned. Though my son, Taiken blames himself for everything. He insists that if he had kept a closer eye on his little sister she would still be here. Even under that 'happy' exterior of his he still aches and blames himself. I used to here him cry at night and almost for a year straight he'd come running into our bedroom every night crying of nightmares that he never told us of." She sighed shakily. "Now if any ones mentions Mira he gets aggressive, and goes through depression until he can bring himself out and go back to pretending like nothing is wrong or that just by mentioning his sister's name bothers him more than he lets himself think."

"Poor boy." Kagome said bowing her head almost feeling as if the whole thing was her fault. She wished so terribly that she could take all the pain away from the couple before her. "I bet they were close."

"Yes, that's also a reason why we decided that we couldn't bring ourselves to conceive any more children." Miroku responded. "It would have felt too much like we were replacing Mira in our hearts."

Someone's coming." Inuyasha stated.

Just as he finished his sentence the door opened and in came Taiken. The boy stared wide eyed at his parent's guests before a wide genuine grin spread across his face. "No! way!" he shouted.

Kagome smiled as she got up to greet him. "Well if it ain't my nephew by friendship." She said teasingly as she walked over to him and hugged him.

"Auntie Kagome." He said hugging her back. "Akaya said you guys were never coming back." He said as he went over to Inuyasha and greeted him as well.

Inuyasha rubbed Taiken's head as he took a seat between himself and Kagome. "Hey kid." He greeted in return.

"Yes, we'd all like to know how you two escaped your 'future' lives." Sango said wiping away her remaining tears.

Taiken frowned at that but figured his mother's tears were joyous ones. He smiled again as he turned his attention to his 'aunt' and 'uncle'.

"Well if you must know…" Inuyasha began.

"Ahaaha! Shippou no! Stop!" Akaya giggled trying to splash water back at him.

"Why?" he asked innocently.

"If you don't you'll regret it!" she growled playfully pouncing on him to keep him from splashing any more water on her. She pinned him down and cheered. "Ha, I win!"

He grinned at her before shouting, "Look Akaya, there's a spider on your shoulder!" she yelped and fell off him as she swatted in every which direction.

At his bubbling laughter she stopped swatting air and turned on him with a glare. But instead of seeing him she saw a bouquet of flowers. "Shippou?" she said looking around for him. When she didn't see him she slowly eased her way towards the bouquet. "Humm…" she picked up the flowers and examined them.

"These are beautiful." She mumbled to herself as she admired the variety and colors of the flowers.

"Glad you think so." The bouquet responded.

"Huh!" she nearly dropped the bouquet. Before she knew it the bouquet had changed into Shippou with a loud quick "POP!" He grinned sheepishly at her with a real bouquet of flowers in his hands. Her shocked expression turned into a smile as she giggled at what she thought was a cute trick, tricks she hadn't seen him do in a long time. "Thank you." She said taking the offered bouquet from his hands. But despite the cuteness of the trick she smacked him upside the head.

"OW!" He exclaimed. "What did I do?" he whined rubbing his head.

"That's for scaring me with the spider thing. I can't stand spiders." She said with a shiver. He just shook his head and chuckled.

"Are you two done fooling around? I thought this was supposed to be a break not a flirt session!" Myouga shouted hopping in their direction. He had been ditched twice so far. They had woken up a good hour after sun rise and by mid-morning they had called snack break. Then a few more hours later they had called a lunch break, in which they had ditched him, mainly because he still kept an eye them all morning telling them to keep a distance. And now it was a rest break which they ditched him again claiming to go retrieve water from a near by stream. In his opinion they were making themselves look like two love sick puppies. Well, a love sick puppy and a love sick fox.

"Yes Myouga-jiji, we're done." Akaya said in a clearly annoyed voice while standing and wiping the dirt from her knees.

Myouga watched Shippou watch Akaya smell the flowers he'd given her and saw the self satisfied smile cross the boy's face. 'Yep, one love sick fool.' He though. He looked over at Akaya who had a big silly plastered across her face. 'And another equally love sick fool. I guess I really was wrong with my first reaction last night. Though Inuyasha will still have my head for this! And for heaven's sake why I'm I being lenient with those two, only to loose my head later?' He mentally cried as he pictured a fully transformed Inuyasha shredding him up into little pieces.

"Shippou, I was thinking…" she said turning around to face him. "I don't think I need this trip any more, I mean I've found the answers to my questions." She said letting out a shaky breathe. For some reason it made her nervous to think about it, especially when the back of her mind told her that Shippou was the answer to most of those questions. Not all but most. "Maybe we should go back. Plus it'd be safer." She said fisting her hand over the jewel resting on her neck to show him what she meant.

Shippou nodded that he understood. "If you really want to, I mean it's all up to you. I'm only here for your protection." He said. "But I suggest we finish off the rest of the day and head back tomorrow. I know a village that's not too far from here and I'm sure we can make it there before sundown. Unless you feel like sleeping in the woods again." He added.

Akaya laid a hand on her lower back where it had been a little sore since the day before and the thought of staying in a village where there were comfy beds was the most appealing thought yet. "Yeah, I think I'll take the first suggestion."

"Well then, let's head out shall we?" He said picking up the big yellow back pack from the ground and throwing it over his shoulder.

By the time they had reached the village Myouga had watched them closely keeping them from doing anything inappropriate and at the barfing point of their flirting. It was okay seeing youngins like them so magically in love but the fact that he was letting it happen at the risk of loosing his head was leaving him completely nauseous the more he thought about it.

Shippou watched Akaya from the corner of his eyes, God she was beautiful. But he couldn't even try to get close to her with out Myouga saying something or getting in the middle of a close encounter. All we could do was hold hands… Tops! He had to find a way to get her alone tonight. He wanted to talk to her in private, not with little Myouga looming over their shoulders. They still had to thoroughly talk about the night before. He could admit to himself that he loved her that was for sure, but he wasn't sure if it was time to admit that to her. He didn't even know how she felt, but then again she had to feel something if last night was any indication. She had kissed him with such passion that if he didn't know any better he'd say she felt the same way he did. But then again it was probably just wishful thinking on his part.

Akaya felt his gaze on her and turned to look at him. He snapped out of his trance and blushed when their eyes met. "What?" she asked feeling a little self conscious. She felt the need to run a hand through her hair to make sure it wasn't too tangled or frizzy or check her clothes to see how dirty they were. Instead she raised a hand to her face. "Is there something on my face?" she asked.

He stopped and looked back at Myouga to see him a fair distance behind them staring out into space. He gave her a smile that made her heart melt. She looked back to see what had made him give her such a smile but before she could even begin to look back he had gently grabbed her chin and looked into her eyes, "You…" he breathed bringing her closer to him and putting their lips a mere breath away. He had been fighting that one simple urge all day and he was about to finally go through with it. "Look… so beau…" he didn't get to finish when something hit him upside the head out of no where.

He stared at Akaya completely confused at what just happened and not moving from his spot or their close proximity until a voice was heard. "Shippou! Your back!" came a little voice. Akaya pulled away with her heart pounding again, but her eyes landed on a small pack of kids running in their direction. Looking back at Shippou she saw his eye brow twitch as a small red mark appeared on the side of his forehead where the object had hit him.

Another moment interrupted.

She looked down and picked up a flat round piece of wood that reminded her of a frizz-bee. A little girl came running up to them and snatched the thing from her hands and bowed repeatedly at them. "I'm very sorry Shippou-sama; I didn't realize I had hit you." She said. Akaya smiled at the little girl. She wore a bright yellow flower tucked behind her ear and a blue and green hakama and yukata suggesting that she was probably the village tomboy.

"It's all right." He responded while rubbing his head and gritted his teeth a little. At his response he was jumped on by at least six other kids who were giggling, laughing, and trying to talk all at the same time.

Akaya giggled as he was knocked down onto the ground.

"Hi there." The little girl who had taken the frizz-bee thing from her said smiling brightly in her direction. "I'm Seila!"

Akaya bent down to her level and smiled back. "Hi, I'm Akaya; it's nice to meet you Seila."

"Okay! Okay! I get the point I'll play!" Shippou shouted as the pack of children stopped tickling him and jumped back with victorious cheers. An out stretched hand showed up in front of him and his gaze went up to meet Akaya's amused blue orbs. He smiled in return and grabbed her hand.

"How come you came back Shippou?" Seila asked tugging on his pant leg to get his attention. "You said you wouldn't be back for another three more weeks." Followed by a chorus of "Yeah!" from the rest of the group.

"I'm sorry." He said bending down to their level. "But I met up with my friend here and we decided to go on a trip and came here to rest for the night." He originally hadn't planned on coming here, not that there was a direction in the first place, but he had actually forgotten about this village up until a few hours ago. His mind had been a little preoccupied.

Akaya smiled as all eyes turned to her. "Hi." She said as their wide eyes took in her appearance.

"Her name is Akaya." Seila said happily smiling up at her.

"That's a weird outfit!" A boy shouted. "Are you a geisha?"

Akaya blushed at that and slapped a hand across her forehead. "No, I'm not a geisha." She stated fighting the urge to shake her head.

"She's pretty though." Seila announced.

"Yeah, she's got really long hair." Another girl agreed.

"Look, she's got blue eyes too!" one of the boys declared.

"Hey, I like your ears, are you a youkia like Shippou?"

"I bet she is, look, those are claws right?"

"Hey! Look at that sword! Is it real?"

"If you're a youkia like Shippou does that mean you're going to marry him?"

"Oh! Better yet are going to play with us?"

She looked over at Shippou with a bright red blush and a desperate look as more questions were shouted out to her.

He walked over to them and waved a hand to silence them and almost like faithful servants they did. "Hold on guys. Akaya here is from a different village, she's a hanyou and we'll play with you guys later but for now we need to find an inn. Where is Yoshiro-sama?" he asked.

"The inn is full, it's summer, people are here for trade." A kid shouted.

"Oh, I know, you can stay with us, mama won't mind." Seila said excited at the idea.

"You sure about that?"

She grabbed both their hands and started dragging them along. "Yes, yes, I'm sure."

"Okay then." He said picking her up instead of letting her drag them off and placed her on his shoulders.

"Bye Shippou! Bye Akaya! Come play with us later okay?" the other kids shouted. They turned around and waved the rest off with a promised play time later. Seila giggled as she rode on Shippou's shoulder on the way to her house and she waved to the other villagers as they passed by them.

"I never knew you were so good with children Shippou."

He smiled at her. "I guess. But it hurts to be good with children." he said rubbing the side of his head.

"I'm sorry Shippou. It was me that threw the toy. I still can't throw all that good." She said rotating her wrist.

"Let me see." He said taking her wrist and examining it.

Seila looked at Akaya's curious gaze and smiled. "I broke my wrist a while back, Shippou made the frizzy air thingy for me to use so I can bring the strength back in my wrist. It had been hurting really bad and I couldn't use my wrist for two seasons so my muscles were weak after it healed."

"Oh, poor thing." Akaya said leaning in to look at her wrist as well. "So he made you the frizz-bee?" she asked giving him a knowing smirk.

"Yep! It's the coolest thing too. If you throw it in the air a certain way it'll fly really far." She smiled.

"That was smart." Akaya replied giving him a winning smile.

Shippou let go of her arm and padded it gently. "Your muscles will get better. Just keep practicing every now and then and don't pick up anything heavy or you'll make it worse."

"Since when did you become a doctor?" Akaya teased.

"Hey, if there's one thing I learned from your mother was how to treat injuries."

She smiled. "How true."

"Thought you had me off guard did you? I saw those children coming." Another voice came into the conversation. "Like you could actually get away with it."

"Myouga!" Akaya warned.

"Get away with what?" Seila asked looking down at Akaya from her high position on Shippou's shoulder.

"Nothing, never mind we're here." Shippou said pulling Seila off his shoulder and setting her down before both him and Akaya turned on Myouga with warning looks.

"Mama, I'm home! And Shippou is back and he brought a really pretty friend!" Seila's shouts were heard through out the house.

An elder woman appeared at the door with a welcoming smile that was practically identical to her daughter's. "Hello there Shippou, back so soon?" she asked pulling a strand of dark hair behind her ear.

"Yes, I'm sorry if my early return is an inconvenience to you but I heard the inn was full so…"

The woman chuckled whole heartedly. "It's perfectly fine, no trouble at all. Who are your friends?" she asked.

"That's Akaya mama and the small one is Myouga. He's a flea… I think." She scratched her head as she looked him over trying to figure out if he really was a flea.

Myouga bristled at that comment and fumed as she kept starring at him with that puzzled expression. "Of course I'm a flea! What do I look like?"

Seila giggled. "You're so silly Myouga."

Her mother laughed but waved her hand in gesture for them to follow her inside.

As night completely settled, they had played as promised, bathed, eaten and were settling down for the night.

Akaya and Shippou sat in a corner of the hut all huddled together with Seila fast asleep in Akaya's lap after telling a good half hour worth of stories. Akaya smiled as she ran a hand through the little girl's hair as she huddled closer to her and mumbled something in her sleep.

"She's so pretty isn't she?"

"Humm… yeah she'll be a real beauty when she grows up."

"Too bad she's such a tomboy; guys will fall for her in every which direction and I bet she won't even pay mind to them if they couldn't beat her at hide-and-seek."

Shippou laughed at that. "Did you see how she literally tackled poor Toru to the ground? And he was the biggest kid out there."

Akaya leaned her head on his shoulder and sighed longingly. "I hope I have such a sweet girl for a daughter one day."

Shippou stiffened at the comment and his breath hitched in his throat as he struggled to find something to say.

Akaya realized what had left her mouth and sat straight up while a dark blush stained her cheeks. "Not like that, I mean… I don't want kids… I mean I do but… uh… just uh… look, pretend I didn't say anything okay?"

He shook his head to try and clear the pang of dizziness that the comment had left him with. "Yeah… uh okay."

"I don't like boys."

They both looked down to see Seila's wide awake eyes staring back at them.

"Boys are icky and don't bathe."

Akaya smiled. "Oh really? You seem to like Shippou and he's a boy." She stated.

Seila shook her head. "No, I don't like boys the way you said before."

"Before?" she asked.

"Yeah, you know? The way you like Shippou and Shippou likes you. Like the way my mama likes my papa." She said with the true innocence only children can posses. They glanced at each other and chuckled nervously before looking away from each other like ripe tomatoes.

"Seila? What are you doing sweet heart?" her mother asked coming in through the door followed by Myouga. "Your not bothering our guests, are you?"

"No mama, of course not."

"Well then it's your bedtime, so off you go." She said scooting her off.

"All right mama. Good night Akaya, Shippou and silly flea." She waved them off as she headed off.

"Night." They responded.

"Good night everyone." Her mother added.

Before anyone could move another muscle an ear splitting scream was heard from outside causing Akaya and Shippou to spring to their feet.

Running outside their blood froze almost as fast as they had frozen in their tracks at the sight before them. Standing at thirty to forty feet high was a blood red spider; save the black hairs that covered its long pointed legs. Shippou stayed tense, glued to his spot as the spider's eight green orbs landed on them. 'Why didn't anyone smell it before?' he sniffed the air as the scent of blood finally reached his nose. 'Of course the wind shifted a while back.'

Akaya's eyes had gone wide at the sight of the huge spider before them and shivered. 'Great! Just great! It had to be just one big freakin spider. Why couldn't it have been an ant or something? Did it have to be the one thing she hated the most?'

She turned towards Shippou. "What are we going to do?"

"I'm not sure." He replied in a low tone with out removing his eyes from the spider. "Myouga, what's the fastest way to kill this thing?" he said still eye the spider as it started turning its body in their direction. When he didn't get a reply he looked towards Akaya's shoulder where he was supposed to be. "Myouga?"

"Damn it! He ran away and I didn't even see him leave." Akaya said looking around for any sign of the flea. "You think it's here because of the jewel?" she fisted a hand over the jewel as she asked.

"Most likely but for now you take Seila and her family and find a place to hide while I try to lead him away from here."

"What! No! You can't do that by yourself let me help!"

At that he completely turned on her making her look straight into his burning eyes. "No! I don't want you getting hurt! I need you to take care of the others and find a hiding place. Don't you dare worry about me okay? You just go and be safe. Promise you'll be safe?"

To say she was startled by his intense gaze and demanding words was an understatement. He had said it in all seriousness but there was no way she could do that. "I promise I'll be safe and help the others but I can't promise I won't worry."

"The jewel! I sense it! After so many years I sense the jewel!" The spider finally spoke in a loud shrieking sort of tone.

Shippou looked back at her desperately, "Please…" he begged. "Don't do anything irrational."

"Don't kill yourself and I won't."

"Okay I won't, now go!" he shouted just as the spider reached them.

Akaya jumped back as the spider tried swinging at her. She dashed towards Seila and the rest of her family leading them away and gathering any other villagers along the way while Shippou distracted the spider by stepping in its way. "Who are you? What is your business here?" he demanded.

The spider narrowed its eyes at him before screeching, "My name is Akai and see this village is under the protection of a youkia? How pitiful."

"Keep talking you eight legged freak!"

The spider laughed. "Oh I'll talk. Talk till you die from acid!" he said opening his mouth as a green gooish acid shot out at Shippou.

He dodged to the side but a small blob of acid landed on his shoulder and instantly began burning through his vest. He shrugged it off quickly before it burned all the way through to his skin. 'This is not good. I've got to think if some way to get rid of it.' He growled narrowing his eyes at the spider as he flexed his claws.

"Ha! Move out of my way! You're not worth my time; a puny youkia such as yourself could never take me on let alone defeat me."

Shippou took the chance when the spider began rambling to run up behind him. He pulled back his hand as quickly as possible trying to concentrate on his fox fire. But before he could even launch the blue fire, eight pairs of green eyes appeared before him almost out of no where and webs wrapped around him before he could even process another thought. He fell to the ground with a great thud and groaned in pain.

"How stupid do you think I am boy? You're not fast enough to leave my eye sights."

Shippou Growled as he struggled in his tight wrappings. Flexing his claws the best he could he stretched his fingers out to cut a strand of the web near his feet. Quickly jumping to his feet he cut the rest away and glared at the spider. 'This is more difficult than I thought.'

Akaya led the villagers she had gathered outside the village leaving them in a decent hiding area. She went off to gather more of the villagers while taking glances at the fight between Shippou and that Spider and to her dismay things weren't looking good. If they got any worse she was going to have to jump in.

"You still insist on a fight?" the spider questioned in pure amusement. "Then so be it." The spider lashed out again with one of its front legs. Shippou dodged but was completely caught off guard when several black hairs shot out at him zipping past him. One skimmed directly over his cheek leaving a slice there that he didn't notice until he felt the blood ooze down his face. Staring down the spider who grinned in return at him as he lifted a hand to wipe the blood from his cheek.

Shippou caught the sight of Akaya a fair distance behind the spider and struggled to suppress the change in expression across his face. But unfortunately her presence or more like the jewel's presence was felt. The spider turned around with an even brighter gleam in his eyes as his focus turned on the jewel around the girl's neck. Shippou's eyes widened as the spider turned on her.

Thinking quickly he took no other chances and charged at the spider as it turned its back on him. Again pulling back his hand and flexing his claws for his trade mark attack he only hesitated for a quick second to find any vulnerable spot on the spider and attacked yelling, "That jewel will be the end of you no matter what happens!"

A small burst of light was seen followed by a blood curdling screech from his opponent. He had slashed at the spider's legs dismembering all three on the right side. For once, the years he'd spent training himself finally paying off in this small trip of theirs and his purpose being served.

The spider continued to screech and yell incoherent curses but Shippou swayed a little on his feet. He'd done this kind of thing before but had never but that much power into it let alone know he had enough to even perform such a feat. Shaking his head to clear the dizziness from it he registered a shout… it was a warning shout and he looked up just in time to see another one of the spider's thick sharp hairs fly directly at him. Before he could even take half a breath he was impaled through the shoulder, the same one Koga had struck and just finished healing. He was thrown back against a hard surface at the force of the object that pierced him as pain ran through him. The sound and feel of his body hitting the hard surface let him know that he had struck a tree but his eyes went wide as he realized he had been pinned and a white light flashed across his vision as an even more intense pain shot through him. He grabbed the hair that had struck him registering that it felt like it could have been made of iron for it was a hard stiff rod. He held to it, his knuckles turning white as he tried to keep a hold of himself against the tree. It felt like if he let go it would tear right up his shoulder because of his body weight.

Akaya regretted her very presence there the second she had seen the spider lift an unhindered hind leg towards Shippou's wavering form. She shouted her warning at him but he didn't seem to register it until the last second. She had screamed his name and began running in his direction but was stopped by the sticky feel of webs wrapping themselves around her. Her eyes widened in surprise as she saw that the immobile spider still had enough strength to pull this off. She shivered at the feel of the gruesome webs that tightened around her and fear struck her as her body had dropped to the ground and was being pulled towards the spider by its web. She screamed. There was nothing else she could do but scream. She was wrapped in webbing from neck to toe and could do nothing more than wiggle around as she was pulled towards the one thing she hated the most… spiders.

The spider began grinning as he pulled her in closer. "You shouldn't bother with your friend little one. My poison that is embedded in my hairs stiffens them to make them like spears and then seeps into the victim. He will be dead in a few hours but you won't have to worry for you will be joining him when I devour you jewel and all." He cackled despite the weakness in his voice and his stationary position.

Shippou's vision faded in and out several times as his grip stayed on the hair until he finally forced it to focus. When it did it landed on Akaya being dragged towards the spider. 'I... have to… do something.' He thought. 'There's poison in this… I can… smell and… feel It.' his body was weakening but his mind wouldn't let himself deteriorate like this, at least not before he knew that she would be coming out safe in this.

Akaya's eyes weld up with tears but her eyes narrowed at the spider's words. 'No! He can't do that! He's only lying to get his way. It's not true!' The spider had finally pulled her in close enough to reach her. She watched horrified as the spider took the jewel with its teeth from her neck causing her to Shiver and turn her face from its breath. When he pulled away she saw him swallow it chain and all in one quick fluid move.

She shook her head in denial at what just happened and looked over towards where Shippou was pinned but to her surprise he was no longer there. She gasped when she felt the web around her being ripped away as the spider's cackle had turned into horrid shouts of pain. Looking up she saw Shippou and a relief flooded through her. He grabbed her and jumped a fair distance away and instantly set her down.

"Shippou you're…!" she was half way through declaring that he was okay but her eyes landed on his wound that he had a tight grip on as he tried holding back the blood. "Hurt! Oh God he really did poison you." She caught him as he swayed again in dizziness and laid him down. His breathing was heavy and the skin around the wide open wound was turning a sickly green while his cheeks were a burning red.

He groaned and squeezed his eyes lids tightly shut.

"Shippou! Shippou please look at me!" she cried running a hand through his bangs to remove them from his sweaty forehead and run the other hand over his face to try to bring him out of his pain.

"Akaya…" he whispered at feeling her warm caress. "G-get out… of here. Save… your self." He said opening his eyes just enough to see her through.

"No! I can't! I won't leave you here… please you can make it Shippou just hold on. I have antibiotics, you can make it just wait… please!" She begged gently caressing his cheek.

Lifting his good arm he grabbed her hand and pulled it away. "No… I beg you… go to the… villagers. Save yourself… for me… please be… safe." He whispered before he completely passed out.

"Shippou! SHIPPOU! Wake up please!" she shouted tapping his face trying to get him back to consciousness as tears she'd been holding back left a cooling trail down her heated cheeks. She closed her eyes and squeezing his hand in a tight hold as she brought it up to her cheek gently caressing it. She laid her hand over his heart feeling it rhythm still in its place while at the same time hearing that same gruesome cackle from behind her. She opened her eyes and they narrowed at the wound on Shippou's shoulder. Slowly she let go of his hand and stood. Her blood was boiling and desperation flowed through her like never before as she realized that if she had any chance of saving Shippou she would have to get rid of this thing first. She would try, no matter what she would try… and she wouldn't give up even if it was the last thing she could do. 'Daddy would've done the same…'

Wiping the last tears from her eyes she turned to face the fully restored Spider and spotted and at the same time felt a weak yet peak light coming from the spider's stomach. The spider grinned at her and she looked him directly in the eyes narrowing them into slits as her hand fisted on the hilt of her father's sword. "It's time." She whispered harshly taking a stance. It was about time to put the famous testsusaiga to its first real battle in years.

"Yes… time." The spider responded.

I'm SO, SO, SO, SO, SO SORRY for the cliffy but I HAD to. 22 pages is past my writing limit per chapter and I was desperately trying to fit all the important events in this one chapter and trying to find a decent place to stop in this chapter and believe me there were worse places that I could've stopped on. Okay this ending is just the beginning to the beginning of the REAL plot. I don't want to say anything about the next chapter because I don't want to ruin it. But uh… I guess for now all I can say is thanks for the reviews and those who are reading, as always I truly do appreciate it. Oh God I know I'll remember a whole lot more stuff to say later… oh well. -.-; Bye for now.

Ja ne

Brazil-chan


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